tihvaxy  of  t:he  t:heolo0ical  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 

•a  ^Re- 
purchased BY  THE 

HAMILL  MISSIONARY  FUND 


BV3703  .F5  1868 
Fiske.  D.  T. 
Faith  working  by  love  :  as  exemplified  in  tl 
■of  Fidelia  Fiske/ 


FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE: 


AS  BKBHFLU'IED   IH 


THE   LIFE    OF   FIDELIA   FISKE 


Br 


D.    T.  TISKE. 


WBITTEN  FOR  THE  CONOREQATIONAL  SABBATH  SCHOOL  AND 

PUBLISHING  SOCIETY,  AND  APPROVED  BY  THE 

COMMITTEE  OF  PUBLICATION. 


BOSTON : 
CONGREGATIONAL    PUBLISHING    SOCIETY. 

CONGREGATIONAL    I'OUSE. 
BEACON   STREET. 


Entered,  accordlBg  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1868,  by  the 

Congregational  Sabbath  Scnool  and  PuUvMng  Society, 
[B  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  District  of  MassaohuaetU 


PREFACE. 


Theodore  Parker,  having  read  Waj  land's  "  Life 
of  Dr.  Judson,"  wrote  thus  in  his  journal:  "What  a 
man  !  What  a  character !  Had  the  whole  missionary 
work  resulted  in  nothing  more  than  the  building  up 
of  such  a  man,  it  would  be  worth  all  it  h&»  cost." 

If  such  a  man  could  use  such  language,  may  not 
the  friends  of  missions  say  that  the  missionsxy  work 
in  Persia  would  be  worth  all  it  has  cost,  ii'  it  had 
simply  furnished  to  the  world  such  a  specimen  of  true 
Christian  womanhood  as  is  seen  in  the  life  and  char- 
acter of  Fidelia  Fiskb? 

In  these  days,  when  so  many  are  earnestly  discuss- 
ing the  question  of  "woman's  rights"  and  "woiian's 
sphere,"  it  may  be  well  to  turn  attention  to  the  e  ^m- 
ple  of  one,  of  whom  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson  says,  "  la  ^ho 


IV  PEEFAC3E. 

stractnre  and  working  of  her  whole  nature,  she  seemed 
to  me  the  nearest  approach  I  ever  saw,  in  man  or 
woman,  to  my  ideal  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  as  he 
appeared  on  the  earth." 

Those  contributions  to  biographical  literature,  which 
have  been  made  by  foreign  missions,  during  the  last 
half  century,  are  invaluable.  They  constitute  a  part 
of  the  priceless  heritage  of  the  church.  They  illus- 
trate and  augment  the  power  of  Christianity  in  the 
world,  and  in  many  ways  help  forward  the  great  mis 
sionary  enterprise. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Miss  Fiske,  a  strong  desire 
was  felt  by  those  who  knew  her  best  that  some  record 
of  her  life  might  be  given  to  the  public.  I  was  urged 
to  undertake  the  work,  but  could  not  consent  to  do  so 
until,  after  long  delay,  it  seemed  to  be  providentially 
laid  upon  me  as  a  duty.  I  regret  exceedingly  that  it 
was  not  committed  to  some  one  who  could  have  given 
to  it  immediate  and  continuous  attention.  My  task 
has  been  a  humble  but  laborious  one ;  —  that  of  an 
editor  rather  than  of  an  author.  I  have  aimed,  as  far 
as  possible,  to  let  Miss  Fiske  tell  the  story  of  her  own 


PREFACE.  Y 

life.  From  the  superabundant  materials,  I  have  en- 
deavored to  select  such  as  would  give  a  just  and  truth- 
ful impression  of  one  whose  piety  was  so  suggestive 
of  "The  Cross  and  the  Crown,"  and  so  illustrative  of 
that  Faith  that  works  by  Love. 

If  any  of  the  friends,  who  have  so  kindly  furnished 
letters  and  other  materials  for  this  volume,  are  disap- 
pointed at  the  omission  of  so  much  that  is  valuable, 
they  will  readily  discover  the  reason  for  the  omission 
in  the  present  size  of  the  volume. 

In  the  preparation  of  these  pages,  it  has  been  pleas- 
ant and  profitable  to  hold  intimate  communion  with 
so  choice  a  spirit ;  and  in  the  perusal  of  them  I  trust 
others  may  find  a  like  pleasure  and  profit. 

If  this  imperfect  record  of  Miss  Fiske's  life  and 
labors  shall  serve  to  kindle  in  other  hearts  the  flame 
of  Christian  love  that  burned  so  brightly  and  steadily 
in  her  own,  and  shall  help  advance  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions, to  which  she  so  cheerfully  gave  herself  for 
Jesus'  sake,  my  highest  wish  in  regard  to  it  will  be 
realized. 

Newbukyport,  December,  1868. 


CONTEJSTTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 
ANCESTOBS. 

FAOI 

First  Emigrants  settle  in  Wenham.  —  Grandparents.—  Parents,      .       .     13 

CHAPTER    II. 

BIRTHPLACE. 

Birthplace  and  Early  Home.  — Shelburne.  — Character  of  the  People.— 
Natural  Scenery 1» 

CHAPTER    III. 

EARLY  DAYS. 

Birth.  — F4irly  Home.  — First  School.  — Thoroughness  and  Self-reliance 
In  Study.  —  Reads  "Mather's  Magnalia"  and  " Dwight's  Theology." 
—  Parental  Authority.  — Filial  Obedience.  — Confidential  Relations 
between  Father  and  Daughter.  — Study  of  the  Bible.  — Early  Relig- 
ious Impressions.  —  Conversion.  —  Unites  with  the  Church.  — Miss 
Webster's  School.  — Teaches  School.  — A  Pupil  at  Franklin  Academy 
and  at  Conway, 2* 

CHAPTER    IV. 

LIFE  AT  MT.  HOLYOKE  SEMINARY. 

Eaters  the  Middle  Class.  — Early  Love  for  Miss  Lyon.  — Scholarship.— 
Revival  of  Religion.  — Letters  to  Parents  and  Sister.  — Sickness.— 
Supposed  Death.  — Death  of  her  Father  and  Sister.— Teaches.- 
Visits  Miss  Lyon.  — Returns  to  the  Seminary.- graduation.- Ap- 
pointed Teacher  in  the  Seminary,    . 37 

VII 


Tin  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    V. 

DECISION  TO  BE  A  MISSIONARY. 

Early  Missionary  Interest.  —  Dr.  King.  —  Missionaries  Visit  the  Semi- 
nary.—  Miss  Lyon's  Missionary  Prayer-Meeting  at  Norwich.  — Dr. 
Perkins'  Application  for  Missionary  Teacliers.  —  Miss  Fislce  offers  to 
go.  —  Friends  Object.  —  Visits  Shelburne  with  Miss  Lyon.— Decides 
to  go  to  Persia.  —  Farewell  Meetings.  —  Missionary  Instruction  given 
at  Andover.  — Letter.— A  Mother's  Consecration  of  Children  to  the 
Missionary  Cause 61 

CHAPTER    VI. 
EMBARKATION,  VOYAGE,  LAND  JOURNEY,  ARRIVAL. 

Company.  —  Farewell  Note  to  her  Mother.  —  Life  on  Shipboard.  —  Studies. 

—  Care  of  Judith.  —  Storm  at  Sea.  —  Gibraltar.  —  Letter  to  her  "  Sec- 
tion."—Smyrna.— Children  of  Missionaries.  — Donkey  Ride.  — Con- 
stantinople.  — Visits  Schools.  — Mosque  of  St.  Sophia. —Trebizond. 

—  Erzroom.  — Arrival  at  Oroomiah.  —  Welcome.  —  Letters  of  Dr. 
Perkins  and  Miss  Lyon, W 

CHAPTER   VII. 

STATE   OF   THE   NESTORIAN   MISSION    IN  1843.  — FIRST  IMPRES- 
SIONS AND  FIRST  LABORS. 

First  Missionaries.  — Reinforcements.  —  Mountain  Nestorians  and  Dr. 
Grant.  —  Residence  at  Seir.— Letters.  — Study  of  the  Language.— 
Good  News  from  Holyoke.  — Governor  of  Oroomiah.  — Call  on  his 
Wives.  — Preparations  for  the  School.  —  Hymns  Translated.  —  Re- 
moves to  the  City. —  Girls  come  to  Read.  —  Chamber  upon  the  Wall. 

—  Sympathy  for  her  Mother, 90 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

OCTOBER,  18«,  TO  JUNE,  1844. 

The  Female  Seminary.  — Condition  of  Nestorian  Women.  —  Houses 
and  Beds.  —  Lying,  Profanity,  Ignorance.  —  Mrs.  Grant's  School. — 
A  Boarding-school  Desired;  Appropriation  for  one.  —  School  Opened. 
—  First  Pupils.  —  School-room.  —  Duties  of  Teacher.  —  Six  Black  Pins. 
-First  Convert  among  the  Women.  — Walks  with  Pupils.  —  Sabbath 
School.  —  Meeting  for  Women.  —  First  Bible  Lessons.  —  Visits  to 
Villages.  — Sympathy  for  the  Sick 120 


CONTENTS.  nt 

CHAPTER    IX. 

JUNE,  1844,  TO  JUNE,  1846. 

Tlsit  to  Ardishai.  — Miss  Fiske  "Preaches."  — Pupils  taken  to  Seir  in 
Vacation.  — Persecution.  — Schools  Disbanded  by  the  Patriarch.— 
Payment  of  Money  to  Day  Scholars  Discontinued. —  Mothers  of  the 
Pupils  Convened.  — Miss  Fiske's  Narrow  Escape.  —  Entertainment 
for  Friends  at  Close  of  School 1*3 

CHAPTER    X. 

JUNE,  1845,  TO  JUNE,  1846. 

A  Sabbath  at  Geog  Tapa.  — School-rooms  Enlarged.  —  Visit  to  Ada  and 
Gavalan.  — First  Revival.- Prayerfulness  of  the  Converts.  — Interest 
in  the  Monthly  Concert.  — The  Woman  who  could  not  Pray.  — Inter- 
est in  Geog  Tapa.  —  Influence  of  the  Revival  on  the  Minds  and  Man- 
ners of  the  Girls.  —  Sketches  of  Sarah,  Hannah,  and  Dea.  Gewergis,    159 


CHAPTER    XI. 

JUNE,  1846,  TO  JUNE,  1847. 

risit  to  Tergawar.  — Cholera.- A  Revival.  — Copies  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Syriac  given  to  the  Pupils.  —  Presents  Inexpedient,        .       .    187 

CHAPTER    XII. 

JUNE,  1847,  TO  SEPTEMBER,  1848. 

Cholera.  — Visit  to  Marsheboo.  — "  Settling  it."  — Arrival  of  Miss  Kice. 
—  Journey  to  Erzroom.- Departure  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoddard.— 
Death  of  Mrs.  Stoddard.  —  Persecutions  of  Mar.  Shimon.  — Death  of 
the  King ^^ 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

SEPTEMBER,  1848,  TO  JUNE,  1849. 

Saturday  Duties.  —  Monthly  Concert.  — First  Collection.  —  John  "study- 
ing Backsliding."— Revival.  — Interest  in  Degala. —  " Praying  Sa- 
rah." —  Conversion  of  the  Malek  of  Geog  Tapa.  — The  Tiary  Girls.- 
Death  of  Miss  Lyon, 208 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XIV. 

JUNE,  1849,  TO  JTTNE,  1850. 

Women  of  Degala.  — Changes  In  the  School  Building.  —  Moressa  praying 
at  her  Betrothal.  —  Arrival  of  new  Missionaries.  —  Revival.  —  First 
Fublio  Examination  of  the  School, 228 

CHAPTER   XV. 

JUNE,  1850,  TO  JULY,  1851. 

Women  learn  to  Read. —  Dismal  Night-ride.  —  Moressa's  Marriage.— 
Exegesis.  —  Study  of  English.  —  Religious  Interest.  —  Sickness  of 
Miss  Rice.  —  Sister's  Death.  —  Mr.  Stoddard's  Return.  —  Examina- 
tion  241 

CHAPTER    XVI. 

JULY,  1851,  TO  JUNE,  1852. 

Vacation  In  Gawar.  — Visit  to  Ishtazan.  —  Mar.  Shimon's  Visit. — Gawar 
Occapied.  —  Letters  to  Mrs.  Coan.  —  Condition  of  the  School,     .       .    251 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

JUNE,   1852,  TO  JUNE,  1853. 

Vacation  at  Gavalan.  —  Entertainment  of  English,  Russian,  and  Persian 
Commissioners.  —  Cholera.  — Death  of  Gozel,  of  John's  Parents,  and 
of  Judith  Perkins.  —  Question  of  Return  to  America  considered.— 
Domestic  Department  of  the  School.  — Religious  Interest.  —  Ophthal- 
mia,           .264 

CHAPTER    XVIIl. 

JUNE,  1853,  TO  JUNE,  1854. 

Beport  of  the  State  of  the  Seminary.  —  Religious  Interest. —  Examina- 
tion of  School  at  Geog  Tapa.  ^  Sabbath  School.  —  Counsel  to  a 
Tonng  Convert, 275 


CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

JUNE,  1854,  TO  JULY,  1855. 

Making  Maps.  —  Visits  to  Adn  and  Supurghan.  —  Death  of  Mr.  Stocking. 
—  Political  Disturbances. —  Askar  Kahn.  — Account  of  School,  for 
Mr.  Stevens.  —  Letter  to  Holyoke  Seminary 283 


CHAPTER    XX. 

JULY,  1855,  TO  JUNE,  1856. 

At  Gavalan. — The  Girls  as  Missionaries  in  the  Mountains.  — Native  Con- 
verts at  the  Lord's  Supper.  —  Domestic  Labors. —  "  If  you  love  me, 
lean  hard."  — Revival.  — Sanum's  Children  Poisoned.  — Baptism  at  a 
"Fair," 291 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
JUNE,   1856,  TO  JUNE,   1857. 

Maternal  Association.  —  Repair  of  Seminary  BuUding.  —  Health  Im- 
paired.-Tour  in  the  Mountains  of  Koordistan.— Wedding  of  a 
Pnpil  in  the  Mountains.  —  Mission  Schools.  — Hostility  of  the  Gov- 
ernment.—  Assassination  of  Askar  Kahn.  —  Sickness  and  Death  of 
Mr.  Stoddard  and  Harriet.  —  Religious  Interest  in  the  School.  — 
Thoughts  of  Heaven, 303 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

LAST  YEAR  IN  PERSIA. 

Counsel  to  a  Young  Christian.  —  Death  of  Mrs.  Rhea.  —Revival.  — Sanc- 
tified Sorrow.  — Decides  to  return  to  America.- Last  Communion 
Season  in  Persia.  — Last  Prayer-Meeting.  —  Farewell.  —  Journey. — 
Voyage. — At  Home  Again, 317 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

JANUARY,  1859,  TO  DECEMBER,  1860. 

Letters  from  Nestorian  Pupils.  —  Letters  to  her  Nestorian  PupUs.  —  Visit 
to  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  —  Visit  to  Oxford  and  Painesville  Semi- 
naries.—  Invited  to  give  Religious  Instruction  at  South  Hadley. — 
Eeviral.— Visit  to  Montreal, 336 


XII  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

JANUAEY,  1861,  TO  DECEMBER,  1862. 

Visit  to  New  York.  — Parlor  Meetings.  —  Letters  of  Sympathy.  —  Mis- 
sionary Meetings  in  Maine.  —  The  War.  —  Commemorative  Anniver- 
sary at  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  —  Memorial  Volume. —"  Woman 
andher  Saviour  in  Persia."  — "Recollections  of  Mary  Lyon,"     .       .    349 

CHAPTER   XXV. 

1863. 

Invited  to  be  Principal  of  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  — Invited  to  assist 
at  McLean  Asylum.  — Letter  to  Miss  Jessup, 360 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

LAST  LABORS  AT  SOUTH  HADLEY. 

Health  Failing.  —  Revival.  —  Right  Hand.  —  Parting  Prayer-meetings,    .    366 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

LAST  SICKNESS. 

AtShelburne.  — Nature  of  her  Disease.  —  Death.  — Funeral,      .       .       .    376 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

TESTIMONIALS. 

From  Hoshebo.  — Sarra.  —  Sanum.  —  Dea.  Yonan.  — Miss  Rice.  — Rev. 
Mr.  Rhea. —Rev.  Dr.  Perkins.  —  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk.  — Rev.  Dr.  Laurie. 
—  Eev.  Dr.  Anderson, 391 


Faith  Working  by  Love. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ANCESTORS. 

To  be  either  proud  or  ashjxmecl  of  our  Imeage  is  a 
sign  of  weakness  aucl  folly.  To  be  grateful  for  a 
worthy  ancestry  is  both  reasonable  and  Christian. 
To  recognize  a  close  connection  between  the  piety  of 
parents  and  the  piety  of  children,  and  of  children's 
children,  is  whnt  none  will  refuse  to  do  who  believe  in 
the  reality  and  perpetuity  of  the  covenant  which  God 
of  old  established  between  himself  and  his  chosen 
people  and  their  seed  after  them  in  their  generations. 

Fidelia  Fiske*  was  a  child  of  the  covenant.  She 
could  look  back  through  many  generations  along  an 
unbroken  line  of  godly  ancestors.  This  fact  belongs 
to  the  record  of  her  life  ;  nor  will  it  seem  out  of  place 
in  this  opening  chapter  to  glance  at  those  hereditary 
inlluences  under  which  that  life  began. 

lu  1637,  William  Fiske,  with  his  elder  brother 
Rev.  John  Fiske,  emigrated  from  the  County  of  Suf- 
folk, England,  to  this  country,  sottliug  first  in  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  and  subsequently  in  the  adjoining  town 

*  The  branch  of  the  family  to  whioh  Miss  Fiske  belonged  have  generally 
omitted  the  final  e  from  the  name.  It  is  retained  in  this  volume  because 
it  was  adopted  universally  by  the  early  settlers  in  this  country;  and  because 
Miss  Fiske,  during  the  latter  part  of  her  life,  returned  to  the  more  anoieat 
orthography,  and  expressed  her  decided  preference  for  it. 

13 


14  FAITH    WORKING   BY    LOVE. 

of  Wenhatn.  According  to  the  testimoay  of  Cotton 
Mather,  —  who  places  the  name  of  "Mr.  John  Fiske" 
on  his  list  of  "reverend,  learned,  and  holy  divines 
by  whose  Evangelical  ministry  the  churches  of  New 
England  liave  been  illuminated,"  — they  were  children 
"of  pious  and  worthy  parents,  yea,  of  grandparents, 
and  great-grandparents,  eminent  for  zeal  in  the  true 
religion." 

William  Fiske  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  energy, 
and  Christian  integrity.  He  took  a  leading  part  in 
public  affairs ;  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  townsmen,  holding  at  different  times  all  the  im- 
portant offices  of  trust  which  were  at  their  disposal, 
being  their  Representative  to  the  General  Court  for 
six  successive  years.  From  him  the  subject  of  this 
memoir  was  descended.  The  intervening  genealogi- 
cal links  were  five  in  number. 

William  Fiske,  Jr.,  was  the  eldest  son  of  the 
above  William;  was  born,  lived,  and  died  in  Wen- 
ham.  He  inherited  largely  his  father's  abilities  and 
virtues,  was  deacon  of  the  church,  and,  like  his  fa- 
ther, held  various  offices  of  public  trust  and  honor, 
representing  his  town  for  six  years  in  the  Genera] 
Court. 

Ebenezer  Fiske,  son  of  William,  Jr.,  was  bom  in 
1679  ;  resided  in  Wenham,  was  deacon  of  the  church, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-two. 

Ebenezer  Fiske,  Jr.  ,  son  of  Ebenezer,  was  born  at 
Wenham,  July  2,  1716.  Leaving  his  early  home,  he 
resided  in  different  places,  removing  at  length  t(» 
Shelburne  in  1761,  where  he  was  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers.  He  was  a  man  who  had  gi-eat  influence  in 
shaping  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  this  new 


ANCESTORS.  15 

town.  Athletic,  resolute,  fearless,  and  spirited,  with 
a  high  sense  of  personal  honor  and  independence,  and 
of  inflexible  religious  principles,  he  exerted  great  in- 
fluence in  the  growing  community. 

His  wife,  Dorcas  Tyler,  of  Upton,  was  a  woman 
well  fitted,  by  her  native  good  sense,  tact,  energy, 
and  eminent  piety,  to  be  the  companion  of  the  sturdy 
pioneer.  Burdened  with  the  cares  of  a  numerous 
family,  she  yet  walked  with  God ;  and  through  her 
daily  life  there  breathed  a  serene,  cheerful,  saintly 
spirit.  She  was  accustomed  to  spend  much  time  in 
prayer,  and  frequently  set  apart  whole  days  for  this 
purpose.  Her  last  days  were  days  of  almost  continuous 
praying;  and  the  burden  of  her  prayers  then  was,  as 
it  had  previously  been,  that  her  posterity  might  be  a 
godly  seed  even  to  the  latest  generation.  The  family 
traditions  of  this  godly  woman  were  familiar  to  Fi- 
delia in  her  early  years,  and  inspired  her  with  a  pro- 
found and  tender  veneration  for  her  memory. 

She  makes  this  touching  allusion  to  her  in  a  letter 
to  a  cousin,  in  1858  :  — 

"It  must  have  been  a  mournful  pleasure  to  you  to 
visit  the  old  burying-ground.  How  many,  many 
times  have  I  been  there,  to  remember  that  I  was  mor- 
tal !  I  used  to  love  to  stand  by  the  grave  of  our 
great-grandmother,  and  feci  that  her  prayers  for  me 
would  be  answered.  Do  you  know  what  a  praying 
soul  she  had  ?  Have  you  heard  your  father  tell  how 
she  used  to  pray  for  her  descendants  to  the  end  of 
time?  How,  in  her  dying  hour,  she  laid  her  hand  on 
the  head  of  many  a  grandchild,  and  prayed  that  he  or 
she  might  be  the  Lord's?  Grandpa  used  to  love  to 
tell  us,  when  little  girls,  about  it,  and  would  almost 


IQ  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

always  add,  'I  wish  Fidelia's  name  had  been  Dorcas, 
she  looks  so  much  like  her.'  I  wish  I  might  be  so 
like  her  as  to  receive  the  white  stone  on  which  is 
written  the  new  name.  We  do  not  know  how  much 
we  are  indebted  to  the  good  woman's  prayers  for  our 
hopes  in  Jesus." 

Ao-ain,  alluding  to  the  ascertained  fact  that  more 
than  three  hundred  of  the  descendants  of  this  praymg 
ancestor  were  members  of  Christ's  church,  she  thus 
writes  to  her  mother,  in  1857  :  — 

"  Is  it  not  in  answer  to  that  good  great-grandmoth- 
er's prayers,  — to  her  prayers  on  her  dying-bed?  I 
remember  well  what  you  used  to  tell  me  of  her  when 
I  was  a  little  girl,  and  sat  in  the  little  yellow-bot- 
tomed chair  by  your  side.  I  often  think  that  I  may 
be  receiving  blessings  in  answer  to  her  prayers  ;  for  I 
know  that  she  prayed  for  her  children's  children  for 
all  comino-  time.  I  sometimes  wish  that  you  had 
given  me  her  good  name,  Dorcas  Tyler,  as  grandpa 
wished  you  to  do.  But  it  would  not  have  made  me 
like  her.  Let  me  wear  my  Saviour's  name  and  be 
content." 

Ebenezer  Fiske,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Dorcas, 
was  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  father  removed  to 
Shelburne.  In  him  the  strong  qualities  of  the  father 
reappeared,  though  somewhat  softened  and  toned  by 
the  gentler  qualities  of  the  mother.  He  enjoyed  the 
universal  respect  and  confidence  of  those  who  knew 
him.  In  form  and  bearing  he  is  said  to  have  re- 
sembled Washington.  There  was  something  pecu- 
liarly venerable  and  saintly  in  his  appearance  and 
manners  when  an  old  man.  The  writer  never  recalls 
his  noble  form  and  benignant  face  without  reviving 


ANCESTORS.  17 

those  early  impressions  which  associated  him  with 
the  patriarchs  of  the  Bible.  After  a  serene  and  cheer- 
ful old  age,  followed  by  a  period  of  helpless  and  blank 
dotage,  he  passed  away  in  1841,  closing  a  life  of 
ninety-two  years. 

His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Sarah  Barnard,  of 
Shutesbiiry,  whose  rare  domestic  virtues,  gentle 
spirit,  and  affectionate  manner  are  all  fresh  in  the 
memory  of  many  still  living.  She  died  in  1816,  at 
the  age  of  sixty-two,  while  her  son  Pliny  was  yet 
revolving  the  question  of  becoming  a  missionary  to 
the  heathen,  and  just  two  weeks  before  the  birth  of 
that  grand-daughter  whose  missionary  life  will  find  a 
partial  record  in  this  volume. 

Of  these  grandparents  Fidelia  thus  writes  in 
1852  :  "Living  on  the  old  place,  and  with  our  good 
grandfather,  I  was  familiar  with  everything  that  per- 
tained to  each  uncle  and  aunt.  Our  'grandpa' 
used  to  hold  us  many  long  hours  on  his  knee,  and 
tell  us  of  Uncle  Levi,  and  Uncle  Pliny,  and  Un- 
cle John,  till  we  seemed  to  see  each  one  as  he  trod 
those  hills  and  engaged  in  his  daily  labors.  And 
many  and  many  a  time  have  I  been  incited  to  dili- 
gence by  the  articles  of  our  good  grandmother's  in- 
dustry, presented  by  that  dear  grandfather.  He  used 
to  tell  us  how  she  spun  and  wove,  and  used  her  skil- 
ful needle  when  others  would  be  sleeping.  I  have 
seen  that  beautiful  pair  of  linen  stockings  which  she 
kept  in  your  father's  cradle,  and  knit  upon  when  she 
was  nursing  him.  I  have  heard  grandpa  tell  how 
beautifully  those  stockings  fitted  to  the  good  old 
breeches ;  and  then  he  would  take  from  the  upper 

drawer  of '  the  high  case  of  drawers '  the  silver  buckle 
2 


18  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

which  he  hardly  thought  graced  the  knee  so  much  as 
did  grandma's  handiwork." 

RuTDS  FiSKE,  the  eldest  child  of  Ebenezer  and 
Sarah,  and  the  father  of  Fidelia,  was  born  March  22, 
1781.  He  lived  upon  the  ancestral  farm,  and  in  his 
character  exhibited  a  happy  combination  of  the  an- 
cestral virtues.  To  the  vocation  of  a  farmer  he 
united  that  of  a  cooper,  as  his  forefathers  had  done 
for  several  generations.  He  was  a  man  of  marked 
candor,  and  of  "  large,  roundabout  common  sense." 
His  opinion  had  great  weight  with  his  neighbors  and 
townsmen,  who  often  referred  their  difficulties  and 
disputes  to  his  decision,  and  among  whom  he  was 
deservedly  called  "the  peacemaker."  He  was  a  de- 
vout and  exemplary  Christian,  sound  in  doctrine, 
firm  in  principle,  and  of  a  meek,  quiet,  benevolent 
spirit.  In  family  government  he  was  strict,  yet 
mild,  blending  "  goodness  and  severity  "  after  the  di- 
vine pattern.  His  word  was  law,  but  law  in  which 
authority  was  largely  mingled  with  love.  He  ruled 
well  his  own  house,  yet  put  himself  on  terms  of  great 
freedom  and  familiarity  with  his  children.  He  gov- 
erned them,  and  yet  was  their  companion  and  confi- 
dant.    He  died  in  1840. 

Hannah  Woodward,  his  wife,  and  the  mother  of 
Fidelia,  was  a  native  of  Taunton,  but,  at  the  time 
of  her  marriage,  a  resident  of  Buckland.  She  was  a 
woman  of  gentle  spirit,  of  an  equable  temperament, 
quietly  active  and  efficient,  filling  well  the  sphere  of 
a  Christian  wife  and  mother.  She  lived  to  enjoy  a 
serene  old  age,  surviving  the  missionary  daughter, 
whom,  in  a  few  months,  she  followed  to  the  better 
land. 


EASLY   DAYS.  19 


CHAPTER  n. 


EAELY   DAYS. 


Birthplace  and   Early  Home. — Shelburne. — Character  of  the  Pecple. — 
Natural  Scenery. 

Local  as  well  as  ancestral  influences  are  among 
the  determiuiug  forces  of  every  life  and  character. 
There  are  felicities  and  infelicities  of  birthplace  as 
marked  as  those  of  parentage.  The  surroundings  of 
childhood,  outside  the  family,  leave  their  indelible 
impress  on  the  plastic  nature.  Natural  scenery,  cli- 
mate, and  social  customs  and  institutions  are  to  be 
ranked  among  the  educators  of  youth. 

The  town  of  Shelburne,  in  which  the  first  twenty 
years  of  the  life  of  Fidelia  Fiske  were  chiefly  spent, 
is  situated  in  the  central  part  of  Franklin  County, 
Massachusetts.  It  is  a  "  hill  town,"  lying  upon  one  of 
the  spurs  that  break  up  the  eastern  slope  of  the  south- 
ern portion  of  the  Green  Mountains.  The  territory 
comprising  it  was  included  in  the  township  of  Deer- 
field,  till  1768,  when  it  was  incorporated  as  a  distinct 
town,  and  named  after  Lord  Shelburne,  of  England, 
who  acknowledged  the  compliment  by  sending  over  a 
large  and  valuable  bell  as  a  present  to  the  town ; 
which,  however,  never  reached  its  destination,  being 
captured,  as  tradition  says,  in  Bost(m  harbor,  by  the 
British,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 


20  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

Till  quite  recently  the  population  of  Shelbume 
scarcely  exceeded  a  thousand  souls.  There  is  do 
villaofe  in  the  town  except  that  of  Shelburne  Falls  in 
the  south-west  corner.  The  people  generally  are 
devoted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  are  frugal,  in- 
dustrious, of  simple  habits,  having  among  them  but 
few  representatives  of  either  extreme  of  social  life, 
—  the  poor  or  the  rich. 

The  most  marked  physical  feature  of  the  town  is 
Ball  Mountain,  a  high  and  rugged  elevation,  extend- 
ino"  from  north  to  south  nearly  across  the  entire  town- 
ship ;  westward  it  descends  precipitously  to  the 
valley  of  the  Deerfield  River  and  its  tributaries ;  its 
eastern  slope  is  more  gradual  and  extensive,  broken 
up  by  a  succession  of  hills  which  subside  at  length 
into  the  rich  meadows  that  form  the  basin  of  the 
Connecticut  River.  On  nearly  the  highest  point  of 
this  mountain  the  great-grandfather  of  Fidelia  Fiske, 
in  1761,  took  up  his  residence,  erecting  there  a  rude 
dwelling,  near  the  spot  where  after  him  dwelt  his 
children  and  children's  children,  and  where  Fidelia 
was  born. 

The  pioneer  farmer,  in  selecting  this  high  and 
rocky  locality  for  his  home,  had  an  eye,  perhaps, 
more  to  exemption  from  early  and  late  frosts  and  the 
attacks  of  Indians  than  to  the  beauties  of  nature. 
And  yet,  to  a  lover  of  natural  scenery,  a  more 
charming  spot  could  hardly  have  been  chosen,  even 
in  that  mountainous  region,  where  one  cannot  travel 
far  in  any  direction  without  coming  upon  views  in 
which  the  grand  and  the  beautiful  are  wondrously 
blended.  To  the  eastward  the  valley  of  the  Con- 
necticut  lies   spread   out    before  the   eye  in   all  its 


EARLY   DAYS.  21 

peculiar  loveliness,  with  its  rich  mosaic  of  meadow, 
forest,  and  mountain,  farm-house,  and  village ;  while 
the  course  of  the  river  is  distinctly  traceable,  on  many 
a  summer  morning,  by  the  silvery  bank  of  fog  that 
lies  upon  its  bosom.  Beyond,  in  the  distance,  rise 
the  highlands,  which  mark  the  central  part  ot  the 
State,  —  Wachusett  being  clearly  distinguishable  by 
its  pre-eminence,  —  while  to  the  north-east  appears 
Mount  Monadnock  in  New  Hampshire,  and  to  the 
south-east,  the  Holyoke  range,  with  its  beautifully 
serrated  crest,  flanked  by  those  two  noble  institutions, 
which  will  forever  associate  that  region,  not  only 
with  the  cause  of  education,  but,  scarcely  less,  with 
the  cause  of  foreign  missions,  —  Amherst  College  on 
the  right,  and  Mount  Holyoke  Female  Seminary  on 
the  left. 

While  the  youthful  eye  of  Fidelia  looked  out  daily 
upon  this  broad  and  lovely  landscape,  we  cannot 
doubt  that  she  was  there  silently  and  unconsciously 
drinking  in  those  elevating  and  expanding  influences, 
which  helped  to  train  her  mind  and  heart  for  her  great 
life-work.  A  few  minutes'  walk  westward  from  her 
iiome  brings  one  to  the  Great  Ledge,  on  the  very 
brow  of  the  mountain,  whence  is  obtained  a  view, 
quite  difi'erent  in  its  main  features  from  that  already 
described,  less  extensive,  but  not  less  charming. 
Almost  beneath  one's  feet  lies  the  thriving  village  of 
Shelburne  Falls,  two  miles  distant,  while,  directly  in 
front,  the  Deerfield  River  winds  gracefully  away 
through  a  narrow  valley  till  lost  from  sight  among 
the  hills,  a  few  miles  from  the  spot  where  the  Hoosac 
Tunnel  penetrates  the  Green  Mountains.  To  the 
right,  a   lesser  stream  leads  the  eye    up   along   ita 


22  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

tortuous  course  till  one  is  puzzled  to  know  how  it 
ever  could  have  found  its  way  through  such  a  region, 
where  the  hills  are  mountains,  and  the  mountains 
seem  like  an  impenetrable  barricade  of  nature.  To 
the  left  is  another  succession  of  scarcely  less  moun- 
tainous towns,  some  of  which  have  given  to  the 
world  names  that  are  immortal,  —  Buckland,  the 
birthplace  of  Mary  Lyon;  Hawley,  the  birthplace 
of  Jonas  King,  and  Cummington,  the  birthplace  of 
William  Cullen  Bryant. 

Fidelia's  attachment  to  her  native  place  and  to 
her  mountain  home  was  deep  and  lasting;  and  the 
strength  and  the  beauty  of  those  scenes  amid  which 
her  childhood  was  spent  were  transfused  and  happily 
blended  in  the  character  she  bore  thcrce.  The 
pictures,  which  she  there,  in  her  early  communings 
with  nature,  hung  up  in  her  "chambers  of  imagery," 
renin ined  undimmed,  and  were  invested  with  a  new 
and  tender  interest,  when,  in  after  years,  she  hung 
beside  them  companion  pictures,  found  in  her  mission- 
ary tours  among  the  mountains  of  Koordistan. 


EARLT    DAYS.  23 


CHAPTER  III. 

Birth. — Early  Home. — First  School.  —  Thoroughness  and  Self-reliance  in 
Study.  —  Reads  "  Mather's  Magnalia  "  and  "  Dwight's  Theology."  —  Pa- 
rental Authority.  —  Filial  Obedience.  —  Confidential  Relations  between 
Father  and  Daughter.  —  Study  of  the  Bible.  —  Early  Religious  Impres- 
sions.—  Conversion.  —  Unites  with  the  Church* — Miss  Webster's  School. 
—  Teaches  School.  —  A  Pupil  at  Franklin  Academy  and  at  Conway. 

Of  the  six  children — all  dauo^hters  —  of  Rufiisand 
Hannah  Fiske,  Fidelia  was  the  fourth,  and  was  born 
May  1,  1816.  Two  of  the  six  died  in  infancy  before 
the  birth  of  Fidelia.  The  two  younger  than  herself 
preceded  her  to  the  eternal  world ;  the  eldest  alone 
surviving  her. 

The  early  home  of  Fidelia  was  a  plain  one-story 
farm-house,  the  most  important  apartment  in  it  being 
the  large  family-room  w^hich  served  as  kitchen,  nurs- 
ery, dining  and  sitting  room.  Here  the  principal 
affairs  of  the  household  life,  domestic,  social,  and  re- 
ligious, were  quietly  carried  on.  Here,  around  the 
immense  fireplace,  with  its  huge  pile  of  blazing  logs, 
the  little  circle  gathered  every  evening,  while  sewing, 
knitting,  reading,  and  studying,  enlivened  with  grand- 
sire's  stories  of  the  olden  times,  filled  up  pleasantly 
and  profitably  the  swift  hours,  till  at  length  the  great 
Bible  was  brought  forth,  a  chapter  read,  and  fervent 
prayer  offered,  and  presently  the  house  was  still  until 
the  early  dawn  summoned  its  inmates  to  a  renewal  of 
their  peaceful  pursuits.    The  life  led  in  that  mountain 


24  FAITH   WORKIXQ   BY   LOVE. 

home  was  quiet  and  simple,  though  by  uo  means  dull 
and  monotonous.  Unreached  by  the  numberless  nov- 
elties and  artificial  .excitements  of  the  city  and  the 
village,  it  had  an  even  and  healthful  flow.  What  it 
lost  m  present  intensity  it  gained  in  silently  accumu- 
lating forces.  What  it  lacked  of  thrilling  incident 
was  supplied  by  the  ceaseless  and  ever-varying  voices 
of  nature,  and  by  the  stimulating  influences  of  those 
great  religious  truths  inwrought  from  the  beginning. 

As  a  child,  Fidelia  was  unusually  thoughtful  and 
observing.  Nothing  seemed  to  escape  her  notice. 
She  was  an  interested  listener  when  others  were  con- 
vei-sino-,  and  was  quick  alike  to  detect  mistakes  and  to 
treasure  up  new  and  important  facts. 

When  about  four  years  of  age  she  began  to  attend 
the  district  school,  in  the  little  school-house  a  few 
rods  from  her  ftither's  dwelling.  Here,  for  the  next 
ten  or  twelve  years,  much  of  her  time  was  spent  in 
pursuing  the  studies  usually  taught  in  country  schools. 
Though  by  no  means  a  prodigy,  she  yet  learned  with 
o-reat  facility,  easily  outstripping  others  of  the  same 
ao-e,  and  winning  the  place  of  honor  in  her  class.  She 
early  manifested  a  disposition  to  learn  thorouglihj 
whatever  was  assigned  her.  However  difficult  the  les- 
son, she  could  not  rest  until  she  felt  sure  that  she  had 
completely  mastered  it.  This  early  habit  of  thorough- 
ness in  her  studies  was  the  germ  of  a  valuable  trait 
of  character,  afterwards  so  conspicuous.  As  a  teacher 
and  missionary,  it  was  ever  a  maxim  with  her  to  do 
well  whatever  she  undertook. 

And  coupled  with  this  early  habit  of  thoroughness 
was  another  equally  valuable, — ih^t  o^  self-reliance. 
Most  young  children  are  only  too  glad  to  be  helped 


EARLY   DAYS.  3? 

over  the  hard  places  in  their  studies.  They  like  to 
be  told  how  to  do  the  difficult  example  much  better 
than  to  find  out  how  to  do  it  by  patient  thinkinj;. 
Fidelia  wished  no  such  help.  She  was  unwilling  to 
get  her  lessons  by  proxy.  She  preferred  to  do  her 
own  thinking,  and  found  more  pleasure  in  conquer- 
insf  difficulties  herself  than  in  havins:  them  removed 
for  her  by  others.  This  quiet,  self-reliant  spirit  of 
the  child  reappeared  conspicuously  in  the  Avoman, 
as  multitudes  can  testify  who  wondered  how  one  so 
frail  could  undertake  and  accomplish  so  much.  In 
mastering  without  help  the  difficult  task  of  the 
school-room  she  was  unconsciously  girding  herself 
for  successfully  meeting  the  more  difficult  tasks  of 
after  life.  Many  still  remember  how  the  promptness, 
quiet  self-possession,  and  invariable  accuracy  of  the 
delicately  formed  little  girl,  in  her  recitations,  awak- 
ened an  approving  smile  in  the  spectators  ;  and  how, 
at  the  public  examinations,  the  hardest  questions 
seemed,  almost  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  fall  to  her. 

At  a  very  tender  ase  she  evinced  a  great  fondness 
for  reading,  and  for  reading  of  such  a  character  as 
children  seldom  are  interested  in.  Most  of  the  books 
in  the  family  were  treatises  upon  religious  subjects. 
These  she  read  and  re-read  as  eagerly  as  the  young 
of  the  present  day  devour  the  exciting  romance. 

Writing,  in  1852,  to  a  young  niece  in  regard  to  cul- 
tivating a  taste  for  careful  reading,  she  says  :  — 

"It  is  not  so  much  to  have  read  many  books  as  to 
have  read  a  few  well.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  much  I 
value  having  read  all  my  father's  books  many  times 
when  a  child.  Your  grandmamma  will  tell  you  how 
I  used  to  read  the  'Missionary  Heralds'  to  her;  also 


26  FATTlf    WO-JvIXG    BY    LOVE. 

the  'Life  of  Thomas  Spencer,'  'Memoir  of  Martyii,' 
etc."' 

Nor  was  her  reading  at  this  time  confined  to  her 
father's  little  library.  There  was  established  in  Shel- 
burne  about  this  time  a  "Social  Library,"  owned  in 
shares,  each  proprietor  being  allowed  to  draw  out  a 
certain  number  of  books  for  a  definite  time.  Fide- 
lia's father  was  a  proprietor,  and  had  one  or  more 
books  from  the  library  at  his  house  most  of  the  time. 
These  were  selected  with  reference  to  his  own  taste 
and  wants  ;  but  he  soon  found  that  whatever  he  cared 
to  read  was  read  with  even  greater  avidity  by  his  lit- 
tle daughters.  Fidelia,  especially,  though  having 
barely  acquired  the  rudiments  of  the  language,  could 
allow  no  library  book  to  be  returned  until  she  had 
made  herself  acquainted  with  its  contents.  Among 
the  first  books  thus  read  by  her  was  Mather's  "  Mag- 
nalia."  No  one  was*  aware  that  she  was  reading  it 
till  it  was  nearly  completed.  She  would  steal  away 
unobserved  into  the  parlor,  where  the  work  was  kept, 
and  there  hour  after  hour  was  she  absorbed  over  the 
pages  of  those  volumes,  almost  too  large  for  her  to 
handle.  This  was  when  she  was  only  six  years  of 
age.  The  reading  of  this  work  deeply  afiected  her. 
Some  portions  of  it  wrought  powerfuljy  upon  her 
tender  nature,  and  for  a  time  gave  an  unhealthy  ex- 
citement to  her  imagination.  She  suddenly  became 
very  timid,  and  was  afraid  to  be  alone,  or  to  go  inlo 
any  unoccupied  room  after  dark.  When  asked  the 
reason  her  reply  was,  that  she  was  afraid  of  the 
witches.  Her  father  made  such  explanations  as  sat- 
isfied her,  and  in  a  great  measure  allayed  her  fears, 
althouorh  it  was  a  long  time  before  she  could  whollv 


EARLY   DAYS.  27 

rid  herself  of  the  idea  that  possibly  the  witchcraft 
scenes  which  Mather  described  might  be  repeated- 
Indeed,  she  used  to  say  that  her  mind  was  not  wholly 
disenchanted  of  that  early  spell  till  she  re-read  the 
"Magnalia"  at  the  age  of  sixteen.  Another  of  the 
works  from  the  library  which  she  read  with  great 
interest  was  "Dwight's  Theology."  This  she  read 
entirely  through  twice  when  she  was  eight  years  old. 
Dwight  surely  was  strong  meat  for  babes;  but  this 
babe  seems  to  have  well  digested  it.  The  writer  has 
heard  her  say  that  she  felt  through  life  greatly  in- 
debted to  that  early  reading  of  those  volumes  of 
theology,  and  that  she  always  retained  a  distinct  re- 
membrance of  the  manner  in  which  many  of  the  doc- 
trines were  there  discussed. 

With  this  great  mental  activity,  moral  qualities 
were  not  slow  in  developing.  As  a  child,  she  was 
not ;  11  sweetness  and  docility.  The  common  deprav- 
ity of  our  nature  clearly  asserted  itself  in  the  early 
unfold ings  of  her  character.  She  had  a  strong  will, 
which  was  sometimes  decidedly  rebellious,  and  she 
had  to  learn  obedience  by  the  things  she  suffered. 
When  only  two  or  three  years  old,  a  fit  of  wilfulness 
called  for  somewhat  severe  and  protracted  punish- 
ment. This  her  mother  administered,  with  a  firm 
hand,  until  the  child  yielded.  The  discipline  was 
salutary  in  its  influence.  Fidelia  never  forgot  it,  and 
used  in  after  life  to  thank  her  mother,  saying  that 
she  always  loved  her  better  for  it,  and  believed 
that  it  was  her  first  lesson  in  true  submission.  But, 
if  it  was  her  first,  it  was  not  her  last  lesson  of  that 
kind.  Parental  authority  was  represented  in  her 
parents,  especially  in  her  father,  in  a  mild  but  de- 


28  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

cided  form.  It  was  not  harsh  and  arbitrary,  but  it 
was  as  unyielding  as  the  rocks.  The  word  gently 
spoken  was  a  law  that  could  not  be  disregarded  with 
impunity.  The  command,  though  uttered  in  softest 
tones,  it  was  well  understood,  must  be  obeyed.  And 
so  wisely  was  this  authority  exercised,  and  so  blended 
was  it  with  khidness,  that  a  wilful  and  rebellious 
spirit  could  not  long  live  under  it.  Fidelia  became 
so  thoroughly  submissive  and  obedient,  and  had  such 
a  deep  and  reverent  love  for  her  fiither,  that,  in  after 
years,  she  used  to  say  that,  when  yet  a  child,  she  often 
wished  that  he  would  command  her  to  do  something 
difficult  or  disagreeable,  that  she  might  have  the  privi- 
lege of  obeying  him,  and  that  there  was  a  positive 
pleasure  in  obedience.  This  early  submission  to 
parental  authority  doubtless  prepared  the  way  for 
that  sweet,  unhesitating  submissicm  to  the  will  of  her 
heavenly  Father,  which  marked  her  whole  Christian 
life. 

Her  relations  to  her  father  as  she  advanced  in  years 
were  more  like  those  which  usually  exist  between  a 
daughter  and  her  mother.  He  was  her  companion, 
her  confidant,  and  her  counsellor.  He  wisely  en- 
couraged and  directed  her  love  of  knowledge,  and 
advised  as  to  her  studies  and  reading.  She  freely 
carried  to  him  all  her  little  troubles  and  cares,  and  it 
was  one  of  the  peculiar  trials  of  her  later  years  that 
she  could  not  go  to  him  for  counsel  in  her  seasons  of 
perplexity.  She  often  did  this  in  her  dreams.  When 
after  her  perilous  tour  among  the  Koordish  Mountains, 
in  1856,  in  which  she  had  some  narrow  escapes,  she 
used  to  dream  over  her  dangers  at  night,  and  in  her 
dreams  would  seem  to  see  the  form  of  her  father, 


EARLY    DAYS.  29 

beckoning  to  her  and  saying  :     "This  way,  my  child, 
—  this  way,  and  you  will  be  safe."     She  was  largely 
indebted  to  her  father  for  that  remarkable  familiarity 
with  the  Bible,  which  often  surprised  and  delighted 
her  friends.     With  him  it  was  emphatically  the  Book 
of  books.     Fond  of  general  reading,  it  was  his  special 
delight  to  consult  the  lively  oracles.    He  fully  adopted 
the  great  Protestant  principle,  that  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures are  a  perfect  rule  of  faith  and  practice  for  every 
person.     He  honored  the  Bible  in  the  family,  making 
it  the  greuz  text-book  of  religious  instruction.     When 
his  children  manifested  a  distaste  for  their  lessons  in 
the  Catechism  he  permitted  them  to  substitute  the  in- 
spired for  the  uninspired  word.     He  believed  it  quite 
as  safe  for  them  to  drink  at  the  fountain-head  as  at 
the  stream.     When  Fidelia,  on  a  certain  occasion, 
infcrmed   her  missionary  associates  that   she   never 
learned  the  Assembly's  Catechism,  they  were  almost 
as  much  amazed  as  if  she  had  t.vowed  heresy.     But 
they  had  to  confess  that  they  could  detect  no  de- 
ficiency or  unsoundness  in  her  theological  views.     If 
they  could  distance  her  in  the  Catechism,  they  were 
sometimes  mortified  at  her  superior  knowledge  of  the 
Bible.     It  was  not  her  father's  practice,  in  conducting 
the  biblical  instruction  of  his  children,  to  assign  them 
stated  tasks  of  study  or  reading.    He  conversed  much 
and  familiarly  with  them  about  Bible  characters  and 
events,  and  by  various  devices   sought   to   awaken 
an  interest  which  should  make  them  love  to  search 
the  Scriptures.     He  was  fond  of  the  Socratic  method, 
and  his  pertinent  questions  greatly  stimulated  their 
curiosity  and  research.     He  was  wont  to  turn  little 
daily  incidents  into  the  means  of  increasing  their  bib 


30  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

lical  kaowledge.  For  instance,  one  da}'  hiss  little 
daughters  petitioned  him  to  purchase  a  new  French 
bedstead.  He  replied,  "  Well,  I  will  see  about  it, 
but  I  have  read  in  a  certain  book  about  a  king  who 
had  an  iron  bedstead ;  did  you  ever  read  about  it,  and 
can  you  tell  me  the  name  of  that  king?"  They  well 
understood  what  that  "  certain  book  "  was,  and  were 
soon  busily  turning  over  the  leaves  of  their  Bibles, 
and  from  that  day  were  familiar  with  the  history  of  the 
king  with  an  iron  bedstead.  Thus  trained,  Fidelia 
early  became  exceedingly  fond  of  the  Bible.  It  had 
a  peculiar  charm  for  her,  which  lasted  and  increasec' 
through  life.  She  was  equally  at  home  in  the  Penta- 
teuch, and  the  Gospels,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Epis- 
tles, the  Psalms,  and  the  Revelation.  And  her  deep, 
reverent  love  for  the  sacred  volnme,  and  her  great 
familiarity  with  it,  were  owing  principally  to  the  ex- 
ample and  wise  instruction  of  that  excellent  father. 

There  are  probably  few  children  who  are  devested 
to  God  in  the  baptismal  covenant,  and  breathe  the 
atmosphere  of  a  truly  Christian  home,  who  are  not,  at 
a  very  early  age,  the  subjects  of  deep  religious  im- 
pressions. Fidelia  could  not  remember  the  time 
when  her  mind  was  not  impressed  by  religions  truth, 
and  seriously  exercised  about  the  question  of  her 
personal  salvation.  She  read  with  avidity  all  relig- 
ious books  that  fell  in  her  way,  and  was  an  attentive 
and  thoughtful  hearer  of  the  Word.  But  she  was 
naturally  reserved  on  the  subject,  as  most  children 
are  ;  and  shrank  from  being  called  upon  to  make  a 
disclosure  of  her  feelings.  On  one  occasion,  a  clergy- 
man from  a  neighboring  town,  being  at  her  father's 
house,  was  conversing  with  different  members  of  the 


EARLY    DAYS.  31 

family  about  their  religious  state,  when,  fearing  that 
he  would  speak  to  her,  Fidelia  left  the  room  ;  but  so 
desirous  was  she  to  hear  what  was  said,  that  she  soon 
returned.  The  gentleman,  in  her  appearance  and 
movements,  read  her  state  of  mind,  and  wisely  said 
nothing  to  her  personally.  But  when  he  rose  to  take 
his  leave  he  approached  her,  and,  taking  her  by  the 
hand,  for  a  moment  looked  kindly  into  her  face,  and 
then  turning  to  her  mother  said,  "Mrs.  Fiske,  I  think 
salvation  will  soon  come  to  this  house."  These 
words  deeply  affected  the  already  agitated  and 
burdened  heart  of  the  child.  She  used  afterwards 
to  remark  that  probably  he  could  have  said  nothing 
to  her  that  would  have  moved  her  so  much.  She 
went  away  to  weep  and  to  wish  more  earnestly  than 
ever  that  salvation  would  speedily  come  to  her 
troubled  soul. 

In  1825,  when  eleven  yeavs  of  age,  her  elder  sister, 
while  attending  Miss  Lyon's  school  in  Buckland,  was, 
with  many  others,  hopefully  converted.  The  event 
made  an  indelible  impression  on  Fidelia's  mind. 
Late  in  life  she  thus  alludes  to  it.  Having  spoken  of 
the  joy  caused  in  the  homes  of  many  of  Miss  Lyon's 
pupils  that  winter  by  the  intelligence  of  their  conver- 
sion, she  says,  "  I'l  writing,  a  tender  scene  in  one 
of  those  homes  comes  up  vividly.  A  letter  was 
handed  to  a  father  ;  he  read  and  wept ;  it  was  given  to 
the  mother,  and  her  tears  flowed  as  soon  as  her  eye 
fell  upon  the  first  line.  The  little  children  knew  that 
the  letter  had  come  from  Buckland.  They  looked  on 
and  were  sad,  not  having  yet  learned  that  there  are 
tearo  of  juy  as  well  as  of  sorrow.  *  What  is  it, 
mamma? 'said  the  eldest  one.      The  letter  was  passed 


32  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

to  the  child  and  she  read ;  *  Your  daughter  has  a 
trombliug  hope  that  she  is  a  Christian.  God  is  with 
us.  Pray  for  us.'  Then  the  child  Avept  with  the 
parents,  and  there  arose  in  her  young  heart  the  desire 
to  know  her  sister's  God,  and  she  had  no  rest  till  she 
was  numbered  with  the  chosen  people  of  God."* 

Two  years  later  her  Sabbath  school  teacher, —  t 
daughter  of  her  pastor,  —  having  one  day  faithfully 
addressed  her  class-  on  the  importance  of  personal 
religion,  requested  all  who  were  willing  to  try  to 
become  Christians  immediately,  to  raise  their  hands. 
Instantly  the  hand  of  every  pupil  but  one  went  up. 
That  one  was  Fidelia ;  the  only  one  of  them  all, 
probably,  who  at  that  time  was  feeling  any  special 
relisrious  interest.  She  went  from  the  class  in  a  state 
of  great  mental  distress.  The  thought  that  she  had 
refused  to  express  a  willingness  to  try  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian troubled  her  exceedingly.  The  refusal  itself 
seemed  to  her  to  be  very  sinful  and  to  indicate  the 
great  sinfulness  of  her  heart.  That  night  she  lay  on 
her  bed  wakeful  and  tearful,  as  she  reflected  on  what 
she  had  done,  and  on  her  sad  and  exposed  condition. 
Still  she  told  no  one  her  feelings.  The  little  heart 
carried  its  burden  in  secret  for  many  months.  At 
length  her  anxiety  became  too  great  to  be  longer 
concealed.  Her  mother,  one  day,  suspecting  the  true 
state  of  the  case,  and  alluding  to  the  fact  that  some- 
thing seemed  to  be  troubling  her,  kindly  inquired, 
"What  is  it,  my  child?"  The  full  heart  instantly 
overflowed  with  the  long  pent-up  feeling  as  she 
said,  "Mother,  I  am  a  lost  sinner."  She  soon  found 
peace  in  believing,  and  began  to  cherish  that  Chris- 

♦  Recollections  of  Mary  Lyon,  p.  63. 


EARLY    DAYS.  33 

tian  hope  which  ever  after  was  "  an  anchor  to  her  soul, 
sure  and  steadfast."  When  her  pious  grandfather 
was  informed  of  her  conversion  he  said,  in  substance, 
"  It  must  be  that  God  is  about  to  do  a  great  work 
here,  for  he  generally  brings  great  results  from  small 
beginnings."  In  a  double  sense  did  his  words  prove 
true.  By  the  instrumentality  of  that  converted 
grand-daughter,  God  had  a  great  work  to  accomplish 
in  a  distant  land  many  years  after  the  good  man  had 
gone  to  his  rest ;  and  her  conversion  was  the  first 
fruits  of  an  extensive  revival  of  religion  in  that 
place.  Sometimes,  when  a  missionary,  in  urging  her 
pupils  to  be  willing  to  begin  the  Christian  life  alone, 
and  not  to  feel  that  they  must  wait  for  others  to  be  in- 
terested, or  for  a  season  of  general  revival,  she  used 
to  allude  to  her  own  experience,  and  say  that  when 
she  heeded  the  special  call  of  God's  Spirit,  she  did 
not  know  that  there  was  another  soul  in  town  lonofins' 
to  find  the  way  of  life.  She  soon  had  the  joy,  how- 
ever, of  knowuig  that  the  same  Divine  Spirit,  who  had 
wrought  such  a  wondrous  change  in  her  heart,  was 
in  like  manner  working  in  the  hearts  of  many  of  her 
friends  and  acquaintances. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  to  her  uncle, 
Hon.  Levi  Fiske,  of  Byron,  New  York,  contains  the 
only  record  of  her  feelings  at  this  time,  which  has 
been  preserved :  — 

"  Shelbcrne,  May  30,  1838. 

"Dear  Uncle  :  —  Well  do  I  recollect  the  last  words 
you  spoke  to  me  at  our  last  interview.  As  you 
pressed  my  hand  within  yours  and  bade  me  adieu, 
these  words  fell  from  your  lips  :  '  Oh  that  you  might 
be  enabled  to  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days  of 
3 


34  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

your  youth  ! '  The  petition  which  you  then  put  up 
to  Heaven  for  me  has,  I  trust,  been  answered.  I 
have,  as  I  hope,  been  enabled  to  remember  my 
Creator;  but,  oh,  what  were  my  feelings  when  I 
first  began  to  think  about  him  !  He  appeared  to  me 
like  a  cruel  and  unjust  God,  and  gladly  would  I  have 
dethroned  him  had  it  been  in  my  power.  Thus  did  I 
continue  in  opposition  to  God,  till  ho  was,  as  I  hope, 
in  his  infinite  mercy,  pleased  to  humble  my  proud 
heart,  and  make  me  willing  to  accept  the  terms  of 
mercy.  Although  I  have  since  that  time  lived  at 
too  great  a  distance  from  my  God,  yet  I  trust  I  can 
Bay  that  he  is  precious  to  my  soul.  My  situation  in 
life  is  now  truly  interesting,  and  what  renders  it  so  is 
that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in  the  school  of  which  I  am 
a  member.  There  have  been  three  hopeful  conver- 
sions, and  a  number  of  others  appear  to  be  auxiously 
inquiring  what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved.  A  general 
solemnity  pervades  the  school.  When  you  hear  of 
this,  dear  uncle,  will  you  not  ofi'er  one  fervent  prayer 
to  the  God  of  heaven  that  he  will  continue  to  poui 
out  his  Spirit  upon  us  till  every  soul  shall  be  con- 
verted?" 

On  the  12th  of  July,  1831,  Fidelia  Fiske,  with 
nineteen  others,  made  a  public  profession  of  her  faith 
in  Christ,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Shelburne. 

The  school  referred  to  in  the  above  extract  was  a 
"  select  school,"  taught  at  the  centre  of  the  town,  dur- 
ing portions  of  the  years  1831  and  1832,  by  Miss 
Caroline  Webster,  of  Newburyport,  Massachusetts, 
subsequently  the  wife  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Barnes.     This 


EARLY    DAYS.  35 

was  the  first  school  Fidelia  attended,  except  the 
small  district  school  near  her  home.  The  superior 
advantages  here  enjoyed  she  fully  appreciated,  aud 
turned  them  to  good  account.  She  made  rapid  prog- 
ress in  her  studies,  and  became  a  great  favorite  in 
the  school,  both  with  teacher  and  pupils.  The  second 
year  she  was  an  assistant  teacher,  and  in  this  capac- 
ity had  her  first  experience  in  that  employment  in 
which  she  became  eminently  successful,  and  in  which 
the  larger  part  of  her  life  was  spent, 

Mrs.  Barnes  thus  writes  of  her  in  1865  :  "I  think 
of  Miss  Fiske  as  beyond  her  years  in  capabilities  of 
mind  and  heart ;  as  gentle  in  natural  disposition, 
ever  wearing  a  sweet,  winning  smile ;  as  scrupulous- 
ly observant  of  all  school  regulations ;  as  ever  seek- 
ing the  spiritual  welfare  of  her  companions;  aiming 
at  the  culture  in  her  own  heart  of  a  missionary  spirit. 
To  illustrate  :  after  the  morning  Bible  lesson,  she 
would  be  seen  quietly  moving  about,  with  her  arm 
around  a  companion,  and,  with  earnest  countenance 
and  subdued  tone,  pressing  home  the  truths  to  which 
all  had  just  listened." 

From  the  time  of  her  conversion  Fidelia  took  a 
deep  and  active  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
others.  Many  of  her  youthful  friends  could  bear 
testimony  to  her  faithful  and  affectionate  pleadings 
with  them  to  seek  the  Saviour  whom  she  had  found. 
She  soon  became  a  teacher  in  the  Sabbath  school, 
and  here  found  a  most  congenial  sphere  of  usefulness. 
Her  interest  in  her  pupils  was  not  confined  to  the 
hour  spent  with  them  on  the  Sabbath.  She  sought 
in  various  ways  to  win  them  to  Christ,  ofteji  call- 
ing the  pen  to  her  aid. 


36  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

From  1833  to  1839  Miss  Fiske  was  most  of  the 
time  ensraofecl  in  teachinsr  in  the  common  or  district 
schools  of  her  native  town.  Her  services  were  in 
great  demand,  and  that  was  deemed  the  fortunate 
district  that  secured  them.  She  won  the  universal 
love  of  her  pupils,  and,  by  her  affectionate  spirit, 
winning  ways,  and  good  sense,  was  able  easily  to 
govern  schools  which  others  found  turbulent  and  un- 
manageable. And  she  was  as  great  a  favorite  out  of 
the  school-room  as  in  it.  The  custom  of  "  board ino; 
round"  made  her  for  a  few  days  an  inmate  of  all  the 
families  whose  children  attended  the  school.  In  none 
of  those  families  was  the  boarding  of  the  teacher 
deemed  a  burden  which  they  were  anxious  to  have 
reduced  to  its  minimum.  Parents  felt  it  a  privilege 
to  have  her  with  them  and  with  their  children  in  their 
homes.  In  the  summer  of  1838,  she  taught  one  term 
in  the  neighboring  town  of  Bernardston,  where  her 
memory  is  still  fragrant  among  those  who  were  her 
pupils. 

During  this  period  of  teaching  she  twice  ex- 
changed, for  a  short  time,  the  position  of  teacher  for 
that  of  pupil.  The  winter  of  1834  found  her  a  mem- 
ber of  "Franklin  Academy,"  at  Shelburne  Falls, 
—  a  flourishing  institution,  then  under  the  care  of 
Rev.  John  Alden.  In  the  spring  of  1837,  she  at- 
tended, for  a  few  weeks,  a  "select  school"  in  Con- 
way, taught  by  Deacon  John  Clary,  who  says  of  her, 
"  I  remember  her  as  strictly  conscientious  in  the 
discharge  of  every  duty,  as  industrious  and  success- 
ful in  her  studies,  and  as  exhibiting  a  deportment  at 
all  times  fully  deserving  the  unqualified  approbation 
of  her  teachers  and  associates." 


-JE  AT  MT.    HOLYOKE   SEMINABY.  37 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LIFE    AT   MT.  HOLYOKE    SEMINARY. 

Enters  the  Middle  Class.  —  Early  lore  for  Miss  Lyon.  —  Scholarship.  —  Re- 
vival of  Religion.  —  Letters  to  Parents  and  Sister.  —  Sickness.  —  Supposed 
Deatl).  —  Death  of  her  Father  and  Sister.  — Teaches.  —  Visits  Miss  Lyon. 
—  Returns  to  the  Seminary. — Graduation. — Appointed  Teacher  in  the 
Seminary. 

In  the  autumn  of  1839,  Miss  Fiske  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Middle  Class  in  Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary, 
at  South  Hadley  ;  an  institution  which,  from  the  day 
of  her  first  connection  with  it,  to  the  day  of  her  death, 
occupied  a  large  place  in  her  thoughts  and  affections, 
her  last  earthly  labors  being  devoted  to  its  welfare. 

Her  elder  sister  had  been  a  pupil  of  Aliss  Lyon,  in 
Buckland ;  her  pastor.  Rev.  Dr.  Packard,  was  one 
of  Miss  Lyon's  confidential  advisers  in  regard  to  the 
founding  of  the  seminary  ;  while  her  father,  from  the 
first,  had  felt  a  lively  interest  in  the  enterprise  and  a 
strong  confidence  in  its  success.  It  was  not  strange, 
therefore,  that  Fidelia  should  be  favorably  disposed 
toward  the  new  institution,  and  should  desire  to  avail 
herself  of  the  advantages  it  offered,  so  much  superior 
to  those  previously  within  the  reach  of  most  of  the 
young  ladies  in  that  region.  The  seminary  had  al- 
ready been  in  operation  two  years,  and  its  complete 
success  could  no  longer  be  regarded  doubtful.  The 
high  literary  and  religious  character,  which  its  founder 
impressed  upon  it  at  the  outset,  had  become  widely 


38  FAITH  wnpE^vo   BY    LOVE. 

frpowu ;  and  the  Lord  had  set  his  seal  upoa  it,  iu  the 
lorm  of  one  of  that  series  of  precious  revivals  of  re- 
ligion, with  which,  throughout  its  entire  history,  the 
institution  has  been  so  remarkably  blessed.  It  was 
with  eager  and  delightful  anticipations  that  Fidelia 
found  the  way  opening  for  her  to  pursue  a  more  ex- 
tended and  thorough  cuuise  of  study,  and  in  a  place 
where  she  believed  inteUectual  and  spiritual  culture 
could  go  hand  in  hand. 

Her  anticipations  were  more  than  met  at  South 
Hadley.  She  found  herself  in  a  thoroughly  congenial 
element.  The  very  atmosphere  of  the  seminary  was 
exhilarating  to  her  intellectual  and  spiritual  nature. 
The  diligence  and  thoroughness  in  study  there  re- 
quired, and  the  almost  rigid  order  and  system  which 
prevailed  throughout  the  establishment,  suited  her 
mental  habits.  The  prominence  given  to  religious 
instruction  and  religious  duties  happily  met  the  wants 
of  her  rapidly  developing  religious  life.  She  felt  the 
quickening  influence  of  contact  with  so  many  other 
minds  whose  general  aims  and  sympathies  accorded 
with  her  own.  Especially  did  she  feel  and  respond 
to  the  rare  influence  of  that  imperial  mind  which 
originated,  and  presided  over,  the  institution.  She 
early  conceived  a  profound  and  reverent  attachment 
for  Miss  Lyon,  which  time  only  intensified,  and  this 
attachment  was  in  no  small  measure  reciprocated.  It 
was  a  wise  providence  that  brought  two  such  natures 
together,  —  fit  teacher  for  fit  pupil.  We  can  but 
recognize  a  moral  beauty  in  the  circumstances  which 
associate,  intimately  and  forever,  the  name  of  Fidelia 
Fiske  with  the  name  of  Mary  Lyon. 

It  is  much  to  be  re<2:retted  that  the  record  of  Mifs 


LIFE    AT   MT.  HOLYOKE    SEMINARY.  39 

liske's  life  at  the  seminary  cannot  be  furnished  by 
L,3r  own  pen.  Her  home  letters  during  this  period 
were  numerous,  but  few  of  them  can  be  found.  It 
{■^  supposed  that  during  the  last  year  of  her  life  she 
destroyed  these  and  many  other  of  her  youthful  pro- 
ductions. Though  they  may  have  possessed  no  great 
literary  excellence,  yet  they  would  have  given  us  a 
better  insight  into  her  school  life,  and  would  have 
enabled  us  to  trace  more  distinctly  the  growth  of  her 
character.  The  first  year  of  her  life  at  South  Hadley 
was  a  busy  but  a  happy  one.  She  enjoyed  it  to  the 
full,  and,  notwithstanding  her  quiet  and  modest  man- 
ner, her  real  worth  began  early  to  be  recoguized  both 
by  pupils  and  by  teachers.  To  say  that  she  was 
among  the  foremost  in  her  class  is  no  disparagement 
to  others.  Her  recitations  bore  witness  to  the  same 
habit  of  thoroughness  in  her  studies  which  she 
evinced  when  a  little  child.  Her  scholarship  won 
the  respect,  as  her  gentle,  cheerful,  and  afl'ectionate 
disposition  won  the  love,  of  all  in  the  school.  She 
entered  heartily  into  everything  which  related  to  the 
general  welfare  of  the  institution,  and  especially  into 
all  plans  and  measures  for  promoting  the  spiritual  in- 
terests of  its  members.  The  following  extracts  from 
the  only  two  letters  written  during  this  year,  which 
have  been  preserved,  may  be  fitly  introduced  in  this 
connection  :  — 

"Mt.  Holtoke  Seminary,  Feb.  26,  1840. 

"My  dear  Parents  :  —  When  I  remember  that  four 
weeks  have  gone  by  since  I  left  you,  I  feci  almost 
ashamed  of  my  neglect  in  not  writing  before  this. 
But  these  weeks,  like  those  of  the  earlier  part  of  the 


40  TAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

year,  have  been  crowded  with  employment.  Our 
engagements  are  such  that  they  seem  designed  to 
allow  us  to  pay  no  moment  but  in  purchase  of  its 
worth.  .  .  .  Strangers  to  the  turmoil  and  ex- 
citement of  the  surrounding  world,  our  days  pass  most 
pleasantly,  and  I  hope  profitably.  I  often  ask  myself, 
'  What  return  shall  my  heavenly  Father  receive  for 
the  numberless  privileges  he  bestows  upon  me?  '  Oh, 
that  a  diligent  improvement  of  them  may  fit  me  for 
usefulness  while  I  dwell  in  this  vale  of  tears.  To- 
morrow, as  you  are  aware,  is  the  day  of  annual  fast- 
ing for  colleges  and  other  literary  institutions.  The 
anticipation  of  it  brings  to  the  minds  of  many  of  the 
members  of  this  seminary  most  interesting  and  hal- 
lowed associations.  They  remember  how,  the  last 
year,  their  Father  met  them  at  this  season,  and 
brought  to  himself  many  wandering  souls.  Oh,  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  might  be  with  us,  to  lead  both 
saints  and  sinners  to  the  proper  place  ! 

''February  29.  —  Our  day  of  prayer,  to  which  we 
had  looked  forward  with  so  many  anxious  feelings, 
has  passed,  and  its  report  has  gone  to  heaven.  It  was 
a  solemn  season.  I  felt  it  one  of  the  most  solemn  I 
had  ever  known.  The  morning's  light  found  some 
few  assembled  for  prayer.  Then  we  had  a  precious 
season  as  we  sought  the  direction  of  our  Father  in 
the  duties  of  the  day.  Instead  of  going  down  to 
breakfast,  many  were  found  in  their  chambers,  hold- 
ing communion  with  their  own  hearts.  As  soon  as 
it  was  light,  we  were  assembled  in  the  hall  for  family 
devotions.  Miss  Lyon  then  made  some  remarks  on 
the  manner  of  spending  the  day  ;  and  we  separated, 
each  to  go  to  her  own  room  and  employ  the  time  in 


LIFE    AT    MT.    HOLYOKE    SEMINARY.  41 

heart-scarchiugs.  At  eleven  o'clock,  a.m.,  we  met 
in  the  seminary  hall  for  prayer,  and  in  the  after- 
noon attended  public  services  at  the  church.  In 
the  evening  a  prayer-meeting  was  held  in  the  hall 
half  an  hour, — all  indulging  hope  being  invited. 
At  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  impenitent  were 
invited,  who  wished  for  the  prayers  of  Christians. 
All  came,  and  we  felt  that  it  was  indeed  a  solemn 
place.  Several  prayers  were  offered,  during  which 
the  half-suppressed  sigh  could  be  heard  in  different 
parts  of  the  room.  At  eight  o'clock,  all  who  were 
determined  to  seek  the  Saviour  were  requested  to 
meet  iu  Miss  Lyon's  room,  while  Christians,  in 
small  circles,  prayed  for  them.  Some,  we  hope, 
sought  and  found  heavenly  peace.  The  judgment- 
day  alone  can  tell  the  influence  of  the  day  on  im- 
mortal souls.  To-day  (Saturday)  has  not  been  less 
interesting  to  us.  Our  meetings  have  been  very 
solemn.  Oh,  may  we  not  grieve  the  Spirit  of  God 
from  us ! " 

These  tokens  of  increasing  religious  interest  about 
her  caused  her  heart  to  turn  with  tender  solicitude 
to  her  youngest  sister,  still  unconverted,  to  whom 
she  thus  writes  :  — 

"  Mr  VERY  DEAR  SiSTER  H.  :  —  A  fcw  momcuts  of 
this  evening  are  left  me,  and  to  whom  shall  I  de- 
vote them  ?  Perhaps  none  have  better  claims  than 
yourself.  My  thoughts  have  often  been  with  you 
during  the  last  few  days.  As  I  have  seen  some  of 
my  dear  companions,  who  felt  that  they  were  in  the 
bioad  road   to   death,  kneel  again  and  again,   that 


42  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

prayer  might  be  offered  for  them,  I  have  thought, 
'  Have  I  not  a  sister  dear  to  my  heart,  who  has  no 
friend  in  heaven?'  And,  as  I  have  seen  those  who 
long  have  felt  deeply,  and  still  refuse  to  come  to 
Jesus  for  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  I  have  thought,  and 
in  sadness  thought,  '  My  dear  sister  stands  on  the 
same  ground.'  And  is  it  thus?  And  shall  it  be  that 
days  and  weeks  roll  by,  and  still  no  heavenly  hope 
light  her  soul?  O  Heaven  forbid!  If,  at  last,  your 
unworthy  sister  shall  be  found  among  those  who  have 
no  part  nor  lot  in  heaven,  may  you  be  saved  !  That 
this  may  be  the  case,  shall  be  my  prayer,  morning 
and  evening,  as  1  bend  the  knee  in  the  closet.  Some- 
times, as  rising  day  meets  your  eye,  oh,  remember 
that  you  have  a  sister  who  feels  it  a  privilege  then  to 
agonize  in  prayer  for  you.  Let  not  the  neglect  of 
others,  oh,  let  not  the  unfaithfulness  of  her  who  now 
writes  you,  keep  you  from  giving  to  your  soul  youf 
most  serious  attention.  The  list  of  the  redeemed  is 
fast  filling ;  you  are  invited  to  join  this  numerous  com- 
pany. Oh,  will  you  not?  May  I  be  permitted,  with 
affectionate  tenderness,  to  bring  the  subject  home,  and 
ask  you  to  give  it  your  present  attention  ?  " 

The  religious  interest  in  the  seminary  rapidly  in- 
creased from  that  day  of  prayer,  and  continued  until 
all  the  pupils  were  indulging  the  Christian  hope. 
The  number  of  hopeful  conversions  was  about  thirty, 
— nearly  the  same  as  during  the  previous  year.  Amid 
the  delightful  scenes  of  such  a  revival,  MissFiske  was 
taking  practical  lessons  which  were  to  be  invaluable 
to  her  in  similar  scenes,  on  missionary  ground,  in 
which  she  was  to  bear  so  important  a  part. 


LIFE   AT   Mr.    HOLYOKE   SEMINARY.  43 

When  she  entered  the  semi.iary  she  was  uncertain 
how  long  she  would  be  able  '.o  continue  there.  Her 
plans,  however,  were  soon  definitely  formed  to  remain 
and  complete  the  course,  which  she  hoped  to  do  in 
two  years.  But  these  plans  were  unexpectedly  in- 
terrupted. Just  at  the  close  of  her  first  year,  a  ma- 
lignant form  of  typhoid  fever  appeared  among  the 
pupils,  particularly  among  the  members  of  her  own 
class.  There  were  forty  cases  in  all,  nine  of  which 
proved  fatal.  In  some  instances,  the  young  ladies 
were  attaclied  by  the  disease  almost  immediately 
after  reaching  their  homes  for  vacation.  Miss  Fiske 
was  one  of  this  number.  She  reached  her  friends 
apparently  in  perfect  health,  but  in  two  days  was 
prostrated  by  the  same  fever  with  which  so  many  / 
of  her  companions  were  suffering  and  dying.  For 
many  days  she  lay  at  the  very  gate  of  death,  and  all 
hope  of  her  recovery  was  given  up.  Friends  took 
leave  of  her,  and  watched  about  her  bed,  momentarily  / 
expecting  the  silver  cord  to  be  loosed.  At  one  time 
she  seemed  to  them,  and  even  to  herself,  to  have  left 
the  world,  and  to  have  actually  passed  within  the  veil. 
But  their  outburstlng  grief  was  speedily  checked  by 
signs  of  reanimatiou.  The  tide  of  life  that  had  been 
so  long  ebbing  turned,  and  she  began  gradually  to 
come  back,  and  take  hold  again  upon  the  things  of 
earth,  which  she  seemed  to  have  given  up  forever. 
Her  recovery  was  very  slow,  and  weeks  passed  before 
she  could  leave  her  sick-bed,  or  feel  confident  that 
she  was  to  be  spared  to  resume  the  work  of  life. 

Her  experience  during  that  season  of  sickness  she  \ 
ever  regarded  as  invaluable.     She  used  to  say  that 
she  then,  for  the  first  time,  learned  the  real  feelings 


44  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

and  wants  of  the  sick  and  dying,  and  how  to  cure  for 
them.  This,  among  other  things  she  learned,  —  that 
we  should  never  presume  that  our  frieuds,  when  de- 
lirious, or  when  apparently  dying,  are  insensible  to., 
or  unaflfected  by,  what  is  said  and  done  in  their  pres- 
ence. She  also  gained  vivid  impressions  in  regard  to 
the  reality  of  the  invisible  world,  which  never  grew 
dim.  Of  that  peculiar  experience  when  she  thought 
herself  dying,  she  seldom  spoke,  but  when  she  did 
speak  of  it  with  intimate  friends,  it  was  with  great 
tenderness  of  feeling  and  in  subdued  tones,  as  if  it 
were  something  sacred.  She  could  hardly  persuade 
herself  that  she  did  not  really  pass  the  line  which 
separates  the  visible  from  the  invisible  world.  She 
felt  that  she  knew  what  it  was  to  die,  and  that  the 
Saviour  had  truly  met  her  and  spoken  to  her,  assur- 
inir  her  of  his  love.  Ever  afterwards  death  wore  for 
her  a  new  and  pleasing  aspect.  Dying  was  but  the 
coming  of  Jesus,  according  to  his  promise,  to  take 
his  own  to  be  with  him  where  he  is. 

For  many  years  she  could  contemplate  the  final 
change  without  fear  or  shrinkinor.  Death  had  ceased 
to  be  the  "King  of  terrors."  But  after  having  wit- 
nessed, in  1857,  instances  of  death  in  the  missionary 
circle  to  which  she  belonged,  which  were  peculiarly 
painful,  her  feelings  were  somewhat  changed.  She 
would  no  longer  say,  "I  have  no  dread  of  death,"  but 
only,  "I  can  look  beyond." 

In  1862;  In  a  letter  of  sympathy  to  a  recently  be- 
reaved friend,  she  thus  alludes  to  that  affecting  pas- 
sage in  her  own  personal  history:  — 

■'It  is  sweet  to  feel  that  Jesus  wills  that  all  his 
should  be  with  him  where  he  is,  and  that  he  cornea 


LITE    AT    MT.    HOLYOKE    SEMINARY.  45 

for  them  himself.  I  love  to  dwell  upon  those  hours 
when  I  supposed  he  had  come  for  me  in  1840.  I 
could  not  tell  others  of  it;  but  it  was  such  sweet 
peace  to  know  that  he  was  there,  and  that  he  would 
do  all.  Since  that  hour  I  can  never  thiuk  of  the 
dying  Christian  as  being  at  all  alone.  Death  is  swal- 
lowed up  in  victory;  and  why  should  it  not  be? 
Jesus  is  there ;  his  preseuce  is  a  blessed  reality ;  the 
spirit  can  go  with  him." 

Miss  Fiske's  own  severe  sickness  was  not  her  only 
trial  during  that  memorable  autumn.  Auother  bitter 
cup  was  given  her  to  drink.  While  she  was  slowly 
recovering,  the  destroying  angel  smote  once  and 
again  the  household  over  which  he  had  seemed  hover- 
ing so  long.  The  malady  which  had  so  nearly  proved 
fatal  in  her  case  was  communicated  to  other  members  of 
the  family,  and  quickly  bore  two  of  the  number  away. 
Her  loved  and  honored  father,  who  had  stood  by  her 
bed  and  so  tenderly  taken,  as  he  supposed,  his  final 
leave  of  her,  now  himself  passed  out  of  sight  through 
that  same  gate  that  seemed  to  have  opened  for  her,  — 
she  being  still  unable  to  leave  her  bed,  or  witness  the 
parting  scenes.  A  few  days  previously,that  beloved 
youngest  sister,  for  whose  conversion  she  had  felt  so 
deeply  and  prayed  so  fervently,  — and  not,  we  trust, 
in  vain,  —  had  been  attacked  by  the  same  disease,  and 
quickly  followed  her  father  into  the  spirit  world. 

Thus,  instead  of  returning  to  the  quiet  retreat  and 
delightful  studies  of  her  loved  seminary,  she  was,  in 
the  severe  school  of  affliction,  taking  lessons  which 
the  great  Teacher  saw  were  needful  to  complete  her 
education  and  prepare  her  for  the  work  to  which  he 
had  api^ointed  her. 


46  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

It  was  not  deemed  prudent  for  Miss  Fiske  to  return 
to  the  seminary  that  year.  Mouths  elapsed  before 
she  regained  her  full  measure  of  health.  But  she 
could  not  be  content  to  be  needlessly  idle,  and  during 
a  portion  of  the  year  she  resumed  her  favorite  em- 
ployment of  teaching  in  her  native  town. 

In  the  course  of  this  year  Miss  Lyon  was  deeply 
afflicted  in  the  death  of  her  mother.  Soon  after  that 
event  she  thus  wrote  to  Miss  Fiske :  — 

"  Can  you  not  come  and  stay  with  me  a  few  days  ? 
I  am  not  able  to  go  out  of  my  room  much,  and  it 
*vould  be  a  great  comfort  to  me  to  have  you  with  me. 
Dear  one  !  I  have  felt  for  you  most  tenderly  in  your 
trials.  They  have  been  mine,  and  my  feelings  have 
been  such  that,  in  my  present  state  of  health,  I  have 
hardly  dared  to  trust  myself  to  write  you.  I  want 
to  talk  with  you  of  your  loss,  and  of  our  nine  dear 
pupils  who  have  gone  to  be  with  Christ,  of  mother 
and  sister,  and  of  3"our  own  plans  for  the  future.  Do 
not  try  to  do  too  much.  Rest,  and  rest  here  with 
me,  if  you  can  leave  your  mother.  Arms  of  love  wait 
to  receive  you." 

The  kind  invitation  could  not  be  accepted  immedi- 
ately ;  but  some  months  later,  when  teacher  and 
pupil  met,  the  latter  felt  that  there  were  none  other 
than  "arms  of  love  thrown  around  her,"  and  she  thus 
wrote  of  that  meeting:  "I  can  never  forget  how  fast 
those  tear-drops  fell,  as  she  silently  laid  her  head  on 
my  shoulder  for  a  few  brief  minutes,  and  then  broke 
the  silence  by  saying,  'How  I  do  thank  God  that  he 
could  spare  you  to  come  back  to  life  !  I  know  you 
would  have  been  glad  to  go  at  once  to  heaven ;  but 
will  you  not  also  be  happy  in  laboring  a  little  longer 


LIFE   AT  MT.    HOLTOKE   SEMINARY.  4? 

for  Christ?'  There  was  to  me  a  new  view  of  the 
preciousuess  of  laboring  for  Christ,  as  I  looked  upon 
that  countenance  where  smiles  and  tears  so  met."  * 

The  autumn  of  1841  found  her  again  at  the  Mount 
Holyoke  Seminary,  a  member  of  the  senior  class,  — 
not  the  class  she  originally  joined,  that  having  gradu- 
ated during  her  absence.  The  year  passed  pleasantly 
away.  An  interesting  record  of  it  doubtless  could 
be  made  if  her  home  letters  had  been  preserved. 
From  one  written  at  this  time,  which  has  come  to 
light,  the  following  extracts  are  made  :  — 

TO    MRS.    L.    F.    S. 

"  South  Hadlet,  Nov.  5,  1841. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  S.  :  —  I  have  not  forgotten  my 
promise  to  write  you,  and,  since  I  have  heard  of  your 
very  severe  affliction,  I  have  felt  my  ol^ligations  to 
you  stronger  than  before.  I  remember  with  deepe.-t 
gratitude  the  tender  sympathy  you  manifested  for  our 
family  in  the  season  of  our  deep  affliction,  and  now, 
that  like  waves  of  sorrow  are  rolling  over  you,  I  would 
fain  mingle  my  tears  with  yours,  and  in  all  your  griefs 
bear  a  sympathizing  part 

"But,  my  dear  friend,  amid  all  these  trj'ing  scenes, 
is  it  not  to  you  a  source  of  richest  consolation  that 
they  are  directed  by  your  kind  Father's  hand, — 
the  hand  of  One  who  feels  for  you  with  all  the  con- 
stancy and  tenderness  which  a  parent  can  feel  for 
a  child?  Yes,  He  who  wept  on  earth  over  the  re- 
mains of  a  loved  friend  has  felt  for  you  as  you  have 
watched  over  your  deai  Sarah's  dying  bed.     Has  be 

•  Recollections  of  Mary  Lyon,  p.  138. 


48  FAITH   ■WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

not  given  you  much  consolation  in  the  hope  that,  a;* 
she  was  taken  from  a  mother's  arms,  she  was  phiced 
in  her  Saviour's  bosom?  I  shall  ever  be  grateful  for 
the  privilege  of  seeing  her  the  Sabbath  before  I  left 
Shelburne,  and  hearing  from  her  own  lips  expressions 
of  her  feelings  in  view  of  the  last  great  conflict.  I 
could  but  hope  that  by  divine  grace  she  was  prepared 
for  the  change  that  seemed  fast  coming  over  her.  .  . 
Will  you  not  be  thankful  that  you  have  been  permit- 
ted to  train  an  immortal  mind  to  add  to  the  notes  of 
praise  to  our  God?  And  while  the  privilege  of  edu- 
cating her  and  fitting  her  for  usefulness  is  denied  you, 
may  you  be  comforted  by  the  thought  that  One  who 
loves  her  better  than  any  earthly  parent  can  love,  is 
instructing  her  in  those  things  which  are  heavenly  and 
divine.  Near  the  throne,  we  hope,  she  dwells  re- 
joicing with  those  who  encircle  it.  And  it  may  be  that 
her  seraph  spirit  shall  come  to  her  widowed  mother 
on  errands  full  of  love.  ...  It  will  be  but  a 
little  while,  my  dear  friend,  before  we  shall  have 
done  with  all  the  things  of  earth.  And,  if  indeed  the 
children  of  God,  we  shall  rest  where  tears  are  wiped 
from  every  eye,  and  sorrow  is  unknown.  Surely,  when 
drinking  deep  of  the  fount  of  eternal  love,  we  shall 
not  regret  any  sacrifice  which  in  the  days  of  our  flesh 
we  make  for  the  Saviour's  cause.  We  make  sacri- 
fices for  earthly  friends ;  shall  we  fail  to  be  willing 
to  do  it  for  him  whom  we  profess  to  love  better  than 
any  other?  No;  rather  let  us  willingly  return  each 
gift  for  which  our  Father  calls.  He  ever  knows  what 
is  best,  and  will  ever  do  what  is  right.  Let  us 
implicitly  trust  him  in  life,  and  in  death  he  will  be 


LIFE    AT   MT.    HOLYOKE    SEMINARY.  49 

our  Friend,  and  our  portion  through  a  blissful  eter- 
nity  

*'  I  am  very  pleasantly  situated.  Our  fiimily  con- 
sists oi^  about  two  hundred.  Three-fourths  of  them 
are  hopefully  pious.  Our  seasons  of  prayer  and  re- 
ligious conversation  are  deeply  interesting,  and  we 
hope  the  Spirit  of  God  is  indeed  in  the  midst  of  us. 
Yet  we  see  not  that  prevailing  spirit  of  prayer,  and 
that  deep  concern  for  immortal  souls,  which  their 
worth  demands.  May  we  not  be  left  to  grieve  the 
gentle  messenger  from  our  family  I  " 

Immediately  upon  graduating  she  was  appointed  a 
teacher  in  the  seminary.  With  what  feelings  she  ac- 
cepted the  appointment,  and  contemplated  the  new 
and  interesting  sphere  of  usefulness  thus  opened  to 
her,  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  will  indicate. 

"SHELBrRNE,  Sept.  9,  1842. 

"  I  think  I  have  not  written  you  since  our  aged 
grandfather's  decease.  He  died  the  next  June  after 
father  died.  Thus  in  the  short  space  of  nine  months 
half  of  our  fomily  were  called  to  their  eternal  home. 
Our  house  is  indeed  left  unto  us  desolate ;  but  our 
Father  hath  done  it,  and  we  will  not  complain.  .  .  . 
I  have  spent  the  last  year  at  Mount  Holyoke  Semi- 
nary ;  came  home  in  August,  having  finished  the 
course  of  study.  I  now  expect  to  return  in  October, 
to  teach  for  a  year.  I  look  forward  with  pleasure, 
yet  with  a  feeling  of  deep  responsibility,  to  my  labors. 
Our  school  is  large,  and  embraces  a  most  interesting 
circle  of  young  ladies,  upon  whose  education  we  feel 
much  is  depending.  Remember  me  i)i  your  prayers, 
i 


50  FATTH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

that  I  may  do  just  what  God  would  have  me  do.  Last 
year  about  forty,  who  came  among  us  strangers  to 
God,  were,  we  hope,  numbered  among  the  dear  fol- 
lowers of  the  Lamb  before  they  left  us.  We  enjoyed 
many  precious  seasons,  which  I  doubt  not  will  be  re- 
membered during  the  ages  of  eternity  with  deepest 
joy  by  many  redeemed  souls." 

As  was  anticipated,  Miss  Fiske  proved  a  valuable 
addition  to  the  excellent  corps  of  teachers  under  whose 
able  and  wise  management  the  seminary  was  rapidly 
conquering  popular  prejudices  and  winning  golden 
opinions,  even  from  those  who  had  at  first  looked 
coldly  or  frowningly  upon  the  enterprise.  But  she 
was  permitted  to  retain  this  position  only  a  few 
months  before  she  heard  the  Master's  voice  calling 
her  away  to  her  great  life-work  in  a  foreign  land. 

We  have  now  reached  the  great  crisis  in  her  history. 
With  peculiar  interest  we  proceed  to  trace  the  incep- 
tion and  maturing  of  that  decision  which  made  her  a 
missionary  to  the  heathen. 


DECISION   TO   BE   A   MISSIONARY.  51 


CHAPTER  V. 

DECISION   TO   BE   A   MISSIONARY. 

Early  Missionary  Interest.  —  Dr.  King.  —  Missionaries  Visit  the  Seminary 

—  Miss  Lyon's  Missionary  Prayer-Meeting  at  Norwich.  —  Dr.  Perkins' 
Application  for  Missionary  Teachers.  —  Miss  Fiske  oilers  to  go.  —  Friends 
Object.  —  Visits  Shelburne  with  Miss  Lyon.  —  Decides  to  go  to  Persia.  — 
Earewell  Meetings.  —  Missionary  Instruction  given  at  Andover.  — Letter. 

—  A  Mother's  Consecration  of  Children  to  the  Missionary  Cause. 

The  great  decisive  purposes  of  life,  though  often, 
in  one  sense,  formed  suddenly,  are  yet  in  another 
sense  always  of  slow  growth.     They  are  the  ripe  fruit 
of  all  our  previous  training  and  culture.     The  seeds 
of  them  are  often  planted  in  the  nursery.    They  have, 
moreover,  a  divine  as  well  as  a  human  side.     They 
are  the  eternal  thoughts  of  God,  not  less  than  the  free 
acts  of  his  creatures,  and  we  can  sometimes  distinctly 
trace  the  working  of  those  thoughts,  and  see  how 
they  preintimate  the  great  decision  in  which  they  are 
to  culminate,  long  before   that  decision   is   actually 
made.     When  Fidelia  Fiske  received  a  definite  prop- 
osition to  become  a  missionary  to  the  heathen,  the 
subject  was  one  with  which  her  mind  had  long  been 
familiar.     Her  missionary  interest  dates  back  to  her 
early  childhood.     She  was  three  years  old  when  her 
uncle,  Rev.  Pliny  Fiske,  left  the  country  to  become 
a  missionary  in  the  Holy  Laud.     She  retained  a  very 
vivid  impression  of  the  afiecting  scenes  connected 
with  his  departure.     From  that  time  foreign  missioua 


52  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

was  an  almost  daily  topic  of  conversation  in  her 
father's  family,  and  Fidelia  must  have  had  the  thought 
deeply  impressed  on  her  tender  mind  that  it  was  a 
high  and  sacred  calling  to  be  the  bearer  of  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation  to  distant  pagan  lands.  She 
shared  in  the  interest  awakened  in  the  family  by  the 
reception  and  reading  of  letters  from  the  missionary 
uncle  ;  and  she  shared  also  in  the  deep  grief  caused  by 
the  news  of  his  early  death.  When  a  very  little  girl 
she  used  often  to  play  being  a  missionary,  making 
sometimes  an  amusing  use  of  what  she  had  learned 
from  her  uncle's  letters.  One  day  she  came  into  the 
house  eagerly  exclaiming,  "  Ma,  I  have  been  to  Jeru- 
salem in  the  wheelbarrow."  "Been  to  Jerusalem 
in  the  wheelbarrow,  my  child?"  the  mother  replied. 
"Yes,  ma,  I  went  up  to  Jerusalem  in  the  wheel- 
barrow, I  did." 

As  soon  as  she  was  able  to  read,  she  seized  eagerly 
upon  every  item  of  missionary  intelligence  that  fell 
under  her  eye ;  and  no  member  of  the  family  waited 
more  impatiently  than  she  for  the  coming  of  the 
"Missionary  Herald,"  which  she  always  read  through, 
often  aloud  to  her  mother.  And  it  is  still  remem- 
bered with  what  eagerness  the  little  girl  used  to 
climb  up  to  the  high  case  of  drawers  and  take  down 
the  back  volumes  of  the  "  Herald  "  and  the  "  Pano- 
plist." 

When  she  was  eleven  years  of  age,  Eev.  Jonas 
King,  missionary  to  Greece,  then  in  this  country,  was 
one  day  visiting  at  her  father's,  and,  after  rehearsing 
his  missionary  experience,  he  placed  his  hand  on 
Fidelia's  head  and  told  her  she  must  go  out  as  her 
Uncle  Pliny  did,  and  teach  the  heathen  the  gospel ; 


DECISION   TO    BE   A   MISSIONARY .  53 

and  added,  "  I  wish  you  were  old  enough  to  go  with 
me  to  Greece."  She  never  forgot  those  words,  and 
the  pressure  of  that  hand,  and  reminded  the  good 
man  of  them  the  next  time  she  met  him,  which  was 
at  Smyrna,  when  on  her  way  to  Persia. 

After  her  conversion,  her  missionary  interests  be- 
came more  definite  and  decided,  and  she  soon  be^an 
to  revolve  the  question  of  personal  duty  in  the 
matter.  During  her  senior  year  at  South  Hadley, 
she  had  for  a  room-mate  a  daughter  of  one  of  the 
early  missionaries  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  of  whom 
she  writes:  "From  her  society,  I  feel  in  a  measure 
introduced  into  the  interior  of  a  missionary  family. 
I  have  elicited  much  from  her  that  I  consider  valua- 
ble, and  which  I  shall  carefully  store."  Under  date  of 
September  9,  1842,  soon  after  she  graduated,  she 
writes:  "I  have,  the  last  year,  had  my  interest  con- 
siderably increased  in  the  cause  of  missions.  Several 
missionaries  have  visited  us,  among  whom  were  Mr. 
Parker,  from  China,  Mr.  Thurston,  from  the  Sand- 
Avich  Islands,  Mrs.  Butler,  from  the  Choctaws,  Mr. 
Perkins,  accompanied  by  Mar.  Yohannan  (the  Nesto- 
rian  bishop) ,  from  Persia.  The  last  two  were  present 
at  our  late  examination.  The  bishop  addressed  us 
most  affectingly.  In  closing,  he  slowly  said,  'While 
you  go  on  to  improve,  oh,  remember  us,  so  dark! 
so  dark  I ^  My  heart  responded,  'My  brother,  thy 
people  I  Avill  remember,  and  gladly  would  I  be  spent 
for  their  salvation.'" 

A  few  weeks  later,  while  looking  over,  with  one  of 
her  associate  teachers  at  South  Hadley,  Dr.  Perkins' 
volume,  "  Eight  Years'  Residence  in  Persia,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "  How   I   should  love   to  teach  those  little 


54  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

children !  It  would  be  just  such  employment  as  I 
should  like,  to  go  out  into  the  streets  and  pick  them 
up,  and  comb  their  hair,  and  wash  their  faces.  But,  if 
we  cannot  go  in  person  to  the  heathen,  we  can  wash 
the  feet  of  those  who  do  go,  and  wipe  them  with  the 
hairs  of  our  head." 

This  was  before  Dr.  Perkins  had  made  any  request 
at  the  seminary  for  one  to  go  back  with  him  as  a 
missionary  teacher. 

We  thus  see  how  the  Lord  was,  for  years,  specially 
preparing  the  mind  and  heart  of  Miss  Fiske  to  accept 
cheerfully  the  work  to  which  his  own  purpose  had 
designated  her.  Already,  indeed,  had  that  work 
been  secretly  accepted  by  her,  provided  she  should 
be  called  to  it.  When  actually  engaged  in  it  she 
she  thus  writes:  "For  years"  (elsewhere  she  says 
from  "the  time  of  her  conversion"),  "  with  the  ex- 
ception of  some  months  following  my  severe  sick- 
ness of  1840,  I  felt  almost  sure  that  my  home  was  to 
be  on  missionary  ground.  At  the  period  to  which  I 
have  alluded,  I  felt  that  my  physical  energies  were  so 
impaired  that  I  must  give  up  the  cherished  expecta- 
tion. Subsequently  to  that,  while  happy  in  my 
Holyoke  retreat,  I  seemed  to  feel  that  it  was  not  my 
abiding-place.  Why  I  should  thus  have  felt,  I  know 
not.  I  hope  I  was  not  deluded  in  the  belief  that  my 
Father  had  a  work  for  me  among  the  benighted  souls 
of  another  land,  and  that  I  heard  his  voice  calling  on 
me  to  depart  thence  and  to  come  hither." 

How  much  this  secretly  cherished  hope  of  being  a 
missionary  had  to  do  with  the  reasons  which  led  her  to 
decline  a  proposal  to  become  the  wife  of  a  New  Eng- 
land pastor,  it  is  scarcely  pertinent  to  inquire.     Cer- 


DECISION   TO    BE   A   MISSIONARY.  55 

tain  it  is  that  the  want  of  an  elisrible  offer  of  marriao:e 
was  not  among  the  motives  that  predisposed  her  to  a 
missionary  life.  We  now  come  to  the  immediate 
•circumstances  which  led  to  the  great  decision. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  American  Board  at  Norwich, 
Connecticut,  in  the  autumn  of  1842,  Miss  Lyon  was 
deeply  impressed  with  the  thought  that  her  beloved 
seminary  should  be  more  thoroughly  pervaded  with 
the  missionary  spirit.  She  immediately  sought  to 
impart  this  impression  to  her  teachers  and  pupils. 
Calling  a  meeting  of  those  present,  she  told  them  thai 
the  institution  was  founded  to  advance  the  missionary 
cause,  and  that  "  she  sometimes  felt  that  its  walls 
had  been  built  from  the  funds  of  missionary  boards." 
At  that  meeting  the  seminary  was  consecrated  anew 
to  the  cause  of  missions.  "The  Lord,"  writes  Miss! 
Fiske,  "accepted  the  offering,  but,  in  so  doing,  asked 
not  only  that  they  should  give  gold  and  silver,  but ' 
that  one-half  of  the  twelve  teachers  who  were  with  I 
her  that  year,  should,  sooner  or  later,  go  in  person  to 
the  heathen.  Miss  Lyon  was  often  heard  to  say  in 
subsequent  years,  'I  little  knew  how  much  that 
prayer-meeting  would  cost  me.'"  And  Miss  Fiske 
little  knew  how  much  it  would  cost  her.  While 
she  and  others  were  earnestly  pleading  for  the 
heathen  and  for  an  increase  of  the  missiouarj^  spirit 
in  their  own  hearts,  the  Lord's  messenger  was  ap- 
proaching with  a  call  to  her  to  become  a  missionary 
herself.  The  manner  in  which  that  call  was  given 
will  be  described,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  words  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Perliins,  in  his  funeral  sermon,  preached 
soon  after  the  intelligence  of  Miss  Fiske's  death 
reached  Persia :  — 


56  FAITH   WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

"On  the  sixteenth  of  January,  1843,  near  the 
close  of  my  first  visit  to  America,  I  went  to  South 
Hadley  to  obtain  teachers  for  our  female  semi- 
nary, having  failed  in  my  many  applications  else- 
where. I  called  on  the  pastor  of  the  place  (Rev. 
Mr.  Condit) ,  and  stated  my  object ;  and  he  soon 
waited  on  Miss  Lyon,  the  principal  of  the  semi- 
nary, and  laid  the  case  before  her.  On  returning  he 
reported  that  Miss  Lyon  would  see  me  at  7  p.  m., 
and  in  the  meantime  take  some  measures  'in  her 
own  peculiar  way '  to  fiicilitate  the  business.  I 
called  at  the  seminary  at  the  hour  appointed,  when 
Miss  Lyon  informed  me  that  at  evening  prayers  she 
had  stated  to  her  school  that  I  wished  two  teachers  to 
to  go  with  us  to  Persia ;  and  she  had  requested  that 
any  young  ladies  who  would  like  to  go,  or  who  felt  a 
deep  interest  in  the  subject,  might  address  to  her 
each  a  note,  and  deposit  it  in  a  place  designated : 
that  we  would  then  examine  the  cases  of  those  who 
should  address  her  and  make  a  selection  ;  but  that  it 
should  not  be  known  who  besides  the  elected  ones 
had  written  to  her.  In  accordance  with  this  arrange- 
ment forty  notes  had  been  received  in  the  course  of 
an  hour.  Two  of  the  trustees  (Deacon  Porter,  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Hawks),  happening  to  be  present,  joined 
us  in  our  deliberations.  Miss  Fiske,  then  an  assist- 
ant teacher,  having  but  recently  graduated,  w^as  one 
of  the  applicants,  and  she  evidently  stood  far  above 
all  the  rest  as  the  most  suitable  candidate,  in  the 
estimation  of  Miss  Lyon  and  the  trustees  present. 
Indeed,  it  was  a  serious  question  whether  they  could 
give  up  Miss  Fiske,  as  a  teacher  in  the  seminary, 
even  to  become  a  missionary.    But,  on  my  reminding 


DECISION    TO  BE   A  MISSIONARY.  57 

them  that  in  making  the  sacrifice  they  would  only 
fulfil  the  highest  object  of  their  seminary,  the  point 
was  soon  yielded.  While  some  of  the  notes  were 
quite  long,  Miss  Fiske  merely  wrote,  '  If  counted 
worthy,  I  should  be  willing  to  go.'  She  was  the 
only  person  who  raised  a  question  as  to  her  worthiness. 

"Miss  Lyon's  description  of  Miss  Fiske,  whom  she 
knew  thoroughly  and  loved  devotedly,  was  so  com- 
mendatory, that  I  could  then  accept  it  only  as  the 
prompting  of  her  partiality  and  love  for  her  pupil, 
though  from  the  lips  of  so  cautious  and  discriminat- 
ing a  judge  of  character.  To  my  cool  remark  that 
Miss  Fiske  seemed  to  me  to  possess  much  stability. 
Miss  Lyon  replied,  'Yes,  but  not  less  versatility.' 
But  how  ^oon  I  had  ample  reason  to  feel  that  the 
half,  nay,  the  tithe,  had  not  been  told  me  ! 

"  Miss  Lyon  and  Miss  Fiske  were  to  select  a  second 
teacher  from  the  many  candidates  after  my  departure. 
Miss  Fiske,  however,  on  laying  the  subject  before 
her  widowed  mother,  found  her  so  strongly  averse 
to  giving  up  her  daughter,  that  she  was  compelled  to 
a  negative  decision." 

The  followinof  letters  will  indicate  the  state  of  her 
mind  both  before  and  after  this  decision  was  reached, 
and  also  show  that  she  was  influenced  by  the  advice 
of  Christian  friends  whom  she  consulted,  as  well  as 
by  the  pleadings  of  maternal  aflfection. 

"South  HADLsr,  Jan.  17,  1843. 

"  My  dearly  beloved  Mother  :  —  Whenever  sep- 
arated from  you  I  feel  a  deep  interest  in  your  welfare, 
and  the  knowledsre  that  I  have  been  and  still  am  a 
sharer  in  your  tender  love,  sympathies,  and  prayers, 


58  FAITH  WOBKDfa   BY  LOVE. 

does  but  bind  you  still  more  strongly  to  my  heai-t  day 
by  day.  And  when  I  feel  these  glowings  of  love 
within,  and  know  that  they  are  reciprocated  by  a  ten- 
der mother,  thankfulness  always  fills  ray  heart  that  it 
is  a  Christian  mother  who  loves  me ;  yes,  and  more 
than  this,  that  I  am  the  child  of  a  sainted  father.  Oh, 
it  is  a  precious  privilege  to  be  consecrated  by  believ- 
ing parents  to  the  Lord  in  the  early  dawn  of  infancy  ! 
And,  more  than  this,  to  have  this  consecration  often 
renewed  as  years  roll  away.  Oh,  it  does  lead  one  to 
feel,  and  strongly  feel,  that  one  is  not  one's  own  ! 
You,  my  dear  mother,  together  with  my  dear  father, 
have,  I  believe,  thus  often  consecrated  your  children  ; 
not  only  in  a  sick,  and,  as  you  supposed,  dying  hour, 
but  in  days  of  health  and  prosperity.  That  you  were 
sincere  in  this  consecration  I  doubt  not  for  a  moment. 
I  have  had  evidence  of  your  sincerity  in  your  efforts 
to  promote  my  usefulness,  and  willingness  ever  to 
have  me  go  where  Providence  directed.  And  now, 
my  mother,  one  more  opportunity  presents  itself  to 
renew  this  consecration  before  you  leave  this  vale  of 
tears.  Shall  I  tell  you  how?  I  almost  shrink  from 
it.  But  why  should  I  ?  Why  fear  to  ask  the  Chris- 
tian mother  to  do  what  perhaps  she  loves  to  do?  I 
will  not.  No ;  I  will  tell  you  what  my  Father  has 
presented  to  me,  which  I  must  present  to  you.  The 
question  is  this  :  Are  you  willing  that  Fidelia  should 
leave  you  to  dwell  the  rest  of  life  in  a  foreign  land? 
to  spend  the  rest  of  her  days  in  pointing  heathen 
souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God?  These  questions  have 
been,  this  week,  proposed  to  me.  The  ground  is  Per- 
sia;   my  employment  to  be  teaching.     For  further 


DECISION   TO   BE    A   MISSIONAR7.  59 

particulars  I  refer  you  to  uucle,  to  whom  I  wrote  yes- 
terday, as  the  mail  goes  in  a  few  minutes. 

"  And  now,  my  dear  mother,  the  subject  lies  before 
you.  You  will  decide  in  regard  to  it,  I  trust,  guided 
by  Heaven.  I  shall  anxiously  wait  a  reply.  My  sis- 
ters, you,  too,  have  a  right  and  the  privilege  to  express 
your  feelings,  and  I  desire  that  you  should  do  so. 
And  from  Uncle  and  Aunt  B.  I  also  desire  an  expres- 
sion of  feeling.  I  cannot  say  another  word,  for  my 
letter  must  now  go. 

"  Your  affectionate  daughter, 

"Fidelia." 

"  South  Hadlet,  Jan.  18,  1843. 

"  Mr  DEAR  Cousin  :  —  In  accordance  with  the  free- 
dom I  have  long  used  in  laying  open  to  you  my 
plans  and  prospects,  I  write  you  a  few  lines  at  this 
time.  I  have  had  reason  to  believe  that  I  have  shared 
in  your  prayers  and  sympathies  in  the  trying  scenes 
of  life  ;  and  now,  when  called  to  decide  one  of  the 
most  trying  questions  ever  brought  before  me,  may  I 
hope  for  the  same  tender  syuijDathies,  accompanied  by 
your  prayers  and  counsels?  iThe  question  is,  whether 
or  not  I  will,  or  rather,  whether  it  is  my  duty  to,  en- 
gage in  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions.  It  is  proposed 
to  me  to  return,  in  company  with  another  young  lady, 
with  Mr.  Perkins,  to  Persia.  The  question  must  be 
decided  in  a  very  few  days.  In  about  two  months 
Mr.  P.  leaves,  and,  if  I  decide  to  go,  I  must  in  that 
time  make  preparations  for  a  long  voyage  and  a  life 
among  the  heathen.  Have  you  not,  dear  cousin,  one 
word  to  say  to  me  on  the  subject?  I  should  value 
your  thoughts  exceedingly.     My  friends  in  the  semi- 


60  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

nary,  among  whom  are  Miss  Lyon  and  others  of  the 
teachers,  wish  me  carefully  to  consider  my  duty  in 
regard  to  leaving  my  field  of  usefulness  here.  Some 
of  the  trustees  present  express  the  same  wish.  I  value 
every  suggestion  from  Christian  friends,  and  I  cer- 
tainly should  be  influenced  by  them,  for  I  feel,  and 
deeply-feel,  that  I  know  not  what  I  ought-ta.do^  Oh 
for  grace  to  direct !  I  do  appreciate  the  unspeakable 
privilege  of  committing  my  way  to  Almighty  God. 
If  he  directs,  all  will  be  right ;  and  I  would  rejoice 
to  follow  in  the  path  pointed  out,  be  it  in  my  own  or 
another  laud.  I  have  often  looked  at  the  subject  of 
personal  consecration  to  the  work  of  missions  with  a 
deep  interest.  It  is  no  stranger  to  ray  heart.  But, 
when  brought  so  near  as  at  the  present  time,  it  as- 
sumes many  new  forms.  A  thousand  questions  come 
up,  before  unasked ;  a  thousand  fears,  lest  wrong  mo- 
tives may  influence  me  in  a  decision.  Were  I  decid- 
ing for  myself  alone,  it  would  seem  a  matter  of  com- 
paratively little  consequence.  My  own  sufierings  and 
trials  are  truly  of  little  weight  when  compared  with 
the  promotion  of  Christ's  kingdom.  I  would  desire 
this  more  than  anything  and  all  things  else,  be  I 
where  I  may^  / 

"I  want  very  much  to  see  you.  Is  there  a  time 
during  the  days  of  the  week  when  you  are  at  liberty 
for  a  few  hours?  If  so,  I  wish  very  much  you  would 
call  and  see  me.  This  week  is  our  vacation.  I  re- 
main here.  Write  me,  if  you  find  it  inconvenient  to 
call  and  see  me,  and  speak  with  all  the  freedom  that 
you  would  to  a  sister.  Should  my  decision  be  to  go, 
I  shall  hope  to  see  you  for  some  little  time  before 
that  time  comes.   Perhaps  I  may  be  at  home  the  time 


DECISION   TO    BE    A   MISSIONARY.  61 

of  your  next  vacation.    Please  write  to  me  very  soon, 
if  I  may  not  see  you,  and  remember  me  unceasingly 
in  your  prayers,  that  I  may  honor  my  blessed  Re 
deemer  in  all  my  ways. 

"Affectionately  yours, 

"Fidelia  Fiske." 

"South  Hadley,  Jan.  26,  1843. 

"My  dear  Cousin  :  —  You  ask  me  to  write  you  as 
soon  as  the  question  of  ray  going  to  Persia  is  settled. 
I  gladly  comply  with  your  request.  You  seem  to 
believe  that  a  "  secret  decision '  was  formed  when  I 
wrote  you.  It  was  so,  as  far  as  my  own  feelings  were 
concerned,  if  I  should  be  led  to  see  it  my  duty  to  go, 
and  no  further.  I  felt  that  I  needed  the  advice  of 
Christian  friends,  and  I  have  sought  it.  I  yesterday 
received  letters  from  Shelburne.  \Among  others  Mr. 
Packard  wrote  me.  He  seems  decided  that  it  is  not 
my  duty  to  go  ;  or,  at  least,  he  cannot  see  it  to  be. 
He  gives  the  same  reasons  which  you  gave,  with  some 
additional  ones.  The  opinion  of  other  friends  at 
home  seems  to  coincide  with  his.  Much  as  I  had  de- 
sired to  spend  my  life  in  laboring  for  heathen  souls,  I 
dare  not  decide  contrary  to  the  advice  of  the  wise  and 
good.  Had  it  seemed  best,  I  would  most  gladly  have 
gone  ;  but  as  it  is,  I  cheerfully  remain,  hoping  this  trial 
may  make  me  more  faithful  in  duty,  and  lead  me  bet- 
ter to  improve  the  many  opportunities  for  usefulness 
which  are  thickly  strown  around  my  path._;  Oh,  it  is 
hoio  we  live,  more  than  ivhere  we  live  !  I  hope  and 
pray  that  I  may  feel  a  deeper  interest  in  the  cause  of 
missions  than  I  have  ever  yet  done,  and  that  I  may 


62  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

throw  a  stronger  influence  iu  favor  of  it  around  these 
dear  young  ladies  with  whom  I  am  associated. 

*'I  wrote  Mr.  Perkins  this  morning  what  would 
probably  be  the  final  decision.  We  received  a  letter 
from  him  yesterday,  in  which  he  says,  '  I  do  hope 
Miss  Fiske  will  decide  to  go  and  help  plant  "  a  Hol- 
yoke  "  in  Oroomiah.  We  shall  justly  consider  it  the 
loveliest  plant  of  the  East,  —  "The  rose  of  Sharon."  ' 
He  adds,  to  Miss  Lyon  :  '  And  I  believe  you  will 
love  to  own  it  as  a  scion  of  the  parent  plant.' 

"  Some  other  one  will  probably  go  in  my  stead.  I 
shall  always  love  to  think  of  and  pray  for  those  who 
go,  if  /am  not  permitted  to  help  '  build  the  house.'  I 
have  felt,  in  the  decision  of  this  question,  the  peculiar 
sweetness  of  trusting  the  Lord.  Oh,  it  is  good  to 
leave  all  with  our  Father  in  heaven,  and  walk  in  the 
path  he  points  out 

"Accept  my  thanks  for  your  letter,  and  for  the 
freedom  with  which  you  spoke.  It  was  what  I  asked. 
My  ardent  desires  for  your  usefulness  do  always  at- 
tend you ;  true  happiness  will  follow. 

"Affectionately  yours, 

"Fidelia." 

The  considerations  which  led  Miss  Fiske 's  mother, 
sister,  pastor,  and  other  friends  to  advise,  against  her 
going  to  Persia,  related  chiefly  to  the  state  of  her 
health.  Never  very  strong  and  robust,  she  had  not 
fully  recovered  from  the  effect  of  her  severe  sickness 
in  1840 ;  and  it  seemed  to  them  but  a  reasonable  fear 
that  she  would  not  be  able  to  endure  the  exposure 
and  hardships  of  a  missionary  life.  Miss  Fiske  her- 
self shared  in  this  fear ;   and  the  thought  how  she 


DECISION   TO   BE    A   MISSIONARY.  63 

should  bear  sickness  away  from  all  her  kindred  was/ 
a  source  of  no  little  anxiety  to  her  when  leaving  home. 
She  afterwards  was  wont  to  speak  of  her  generally 
good  health  in  Persia  as  given  in  answer  to  prayer, 
and  as  a  special  token  of  her  Father's  loving  kind 
ness. 

Another  cause  of  solicitude  to  her,  when  revolviug\ 
the  great  question  of  duty,  was  the  liability  to  fre- 
quent changes  incident  to  a  missionary  life.      Her 
local  attachments  were  strong,  and  it  was  trying  to 
think  that  in  Persia  she  would  probably  have  no  per- 
manent abiding-place.     She  always  remembered  the/ 
time  and  the  spot  where  she  kneeled  and  gave  up  alll 
anxiety  on  this  point;  and  with  gratitude  she  recog-\ 
nizecl  as  another  special  mercy  of  God  the  fact  that 
while  on  missionary  ground  she  never  found  it  neces-l 
sary  to  change  her  home  nor  even  her  room  for  any 
length  of  time. 

"When,  constrained  by  the  advice  of  friends,  Miss 
Fiske    decided   not   to   go   to   Persia,    another    was 
selected  to  go  in  her  place;    but  she,  likewise,  on 
laying  the  matter  before  her  friends,  fuinid  them  so 
averse  to  her  going  that  she  yielded  to  their  judgment. 
When  her  decision  became  known  at  the  seminary, 
the  question  of  duty  immediately  presented  itself  to  j 
Miss  Fiske  for  reconsideration.     That  night  she  could  | 
not  sleep  from  thinking  over  the   subject.      In  the  1 
morning  expressing  to  a  friend  her  willingness  to  go,  1 
even  at  that  late  hour,  if  her  relatives  would  give  their  i 
consent,  it  was  proposed  to  go  and  talk  the  matter  i 
over  with  Miss  Lyon.     After  conversing  with  her  a  f 
few  minutes.  Miss  Lyon  said,  ''If  such  are  your  feel- 
ings, we  will  go  and  see  your  mother  and  sisters ; " 


64  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

acfd  in  afeout  an  hour  they  were  on  their  way.  After 
a  thirty-miles'  drive  in  an  open  sleigh,  on  that  cold, 
wintry  Saturday,  through  snow-drifts  in  which  they 
were  several  times  upset,  they  reached  her  mother's 
home  on  the  Shelburne  hills  about  eleven  o'clock  in 
the  evening. 

The  family  were  aroused  from  their  slumbers  to 
receive  the  unexpected  guests,  and  to  hold  an  unex- 
pected consultation.  Prayers  and  tears  mingled  with 
the  solemn  and  tender  discussions  of  that  hour. 
There  was  little  sleep  beneath  that  lowly  roof  that 
night,  and  the  consideration  of  the  subject  gave  a 
peculiar  interest  and  sacredness  to  all  the  duties  and 
services  of  the  following  day.  Before  the  Sabbath 
closed,  that  mother,  whose  fond  heart  at  first  pleaded 
so  hard  against  separation  from  a  loved  daughter, 
was  enabled  cheerfully  to  say,  "  Go,  ray  child,  go." 
Other  friends  could  no  longer  withhold  their  consent, 
and  the  great  question,  involving  such  momentous  and 
blessed  consequences,  Avas  definitely  settled^ J 

On  Monday  morning  Miss  Lyon  returned  to  South 
Hadley,  Miss  Fiske  remaining  to  spend  a  few  last 
days  with  loved  ones  at  the  home  and  amid  the  scenes 
of  her  childhood.  A  stated  meeting  of  the  church  in 
Shelburne,  occurring  on  Thursday,  it  was  changed 
into  a  kind  of  farewell  meeting.  This  gave  Miss 
Fiske  an  opportunity  to  say  ''Good-by"  to  most  of 
her  friends  in  her  native  town.  The  next  day  she 
looked,  as  she  then  supposed,  for  the  last  time  upon 
the  face  of  mother,  sisters,  and  kindred,  upon  the 
home  endeared  to  her  by  so  many  hallowed  asso- 
ciations, and  upon  the  snow-clad  hills  she  loved  so 
well.     Reaching  South  Hadley  in  the  afternoon,  she 


DECISION   TO    BE    A   RnSSIONARY.  65 

found  that  nearly  the  whole  school  had  improved 
every  leisure  moment  during  her  absence  in  sewing  for 
her,  and  that  a  very  good  outfit  was  in  readiness.  A 
farewell  meeting  was  held  in  the  seminary  hall  that 
afternoon,  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Condit,  the 
pastor  of  the  village  church,  and  in  the  evening  she 
met  again  for  last  words  the  teachers  and  pupils  ;  and 
at  two  o'clock  the  next  morning  she  was  on  her  way  to 
Boston,  whence  she  was  to  embark.  At  the  follow- 
ing anniversary  of  the  seminary  one  of  the  compo- 
sitions publicly  read,  entitled  "  The  Missionary's 
Fiirewell,"  touched  a  tender  chord  in  the  hearts  of 
many  present.  It  alluded  thus  to  the  last  night  Miss 
Fiske  spent  there  :  "  Shall  we  ever  forget  how  affec- 
tionately she  implored  her  sisters  in  Christ  to  live 
faithfully  for  him?  How  tenderly  she  entreated  the 
impenitent  to  listen  to  mercy's  call?  Shall  we  forget 
the  tones  of  that  voice  which  had  so  often  led  us  in 
our  devotions,  as  she  once  more  commended  us  to 
her  God  and  our  God?  But  that  hallowed  hour 
passed  away,  and  a  sadder  one  came.  It  was  the 
parting  hour,  and  we  gathered  around  to  bid  her  a 
last  adieu.  She  wept  not  herself,  but  smiled  sweetly 
and  said,  '  When  all  life's  work  is  done  we  shall  meet 
again ; '  but  tears  and  stifled  sobs  were  our  only  re- 
ply. Sadly  and  silently  we  went  away,  yet  turned 
to  gaze  once  more  on  the  form  we  might  never  see 
again." 

Spending  a  few  hours  in  Boston,  on  Saturday,  she 
went  to  Andover,  where  on  the  Sabbath  the  mission- 
aries received  their  instructions  from  the  Prudential 
Committee  of  the  Board.  On  Monday  she  returned 
to  Boston,  having  but  two  days  in  which  to  complete 
5 


66  FAITH    WORKING   BY    LOVE. 

her  preparations  for  the  voyage.  Of  her  visit  to  An- 
dover  she  wrote  :  "  I  there  met  many  who  had  known 
and  loved  Uncle  Pliny.  It  would  have  been  very 
pleasant  for  you  to  be  there,  and  see  in  what  sacred 
remembrance  his  name  is  held  after  he  has  so  lonor 
slumbered  in  the  dust.  The  older  members  of  the 
Prudential  Committee  were  such  when  he  left.  They 
spoke  with  tears  of  those  days  when  they  gave  to  him 
a  farewell  in  the  Lord.  Oh,  that  I  might  be  as  faith- 
ful in  my  labors  as  he  was  in  his  !  " 

Dr.  Perkins  thus  concludes  his  narrative  of  those 
eventful  days :  — 

"  The  story  of  Miss  Fiske's  hasty  departure  from 
home  and  native  land,  fully  told,  is  one  of  thrill- 
ing interest ;  her  own  beautiful  and  energetic  traits 
of  character,  and  those  of  her  revered  teacher.  Miss 
Lyon  (the  two  in  many  respects  alike,  yet  quite 
unlike),  appearing  most  admirable  in  this  connec- 
tion. Miss  Fiske  carried  a  full  tide  of  sympathy 
with  her  from  the  seminary.  She  was  one  of  its 
first  missionary  offerings,  and  many  of  the  estimable 
young  ladies,  from  among  both  teachers  and  pupils, 
soon  followed  in  her  luminous  track, — the  result  in 
part  of  her  fragrant  memory,  and  of  her  intensely  in- 
teresting letters  to  the  school." 

How  fully  her  mind  rested  in  her  first  decision  not 
to  go  to  Persia,  and  how  readily  she  turned  to  other 
methods  of  Christian  usefulness,  will  appear  from  the 
following  extracts  from  a  letter  written  a  few  days 
after  the  decision  was  made,  yet  containing  no  allu- 
sion to  the  subject  that  had  so  engrossed  her  thoughts 
and  stirred  her  heart. 


DECISION   TO   BE    A   MISSIONARY.  67 

"South  Hadley,  Jan.  31,  1843. 

"Mr  DEAR  Cousin  :  —  .  .   .  Oh  !  may  you  be  faith- 
ful to  them  (her  children).     Perhaps  you  are  rearing 
for  the  world  those  who  shall  hereafter  stand  on  Zion's 
walls,  and  sound  the  gospel  trumpet.     And  should 
they  prove  faithful  ambassadors  of  Christ,  in  our  own 
or   heathen  lands,  you   will   feel   for  all  a   mother's 
anxious  cares  a  thousand-fold  repaid.     I  love  to  look 
on  that  child  who,  like  Samuel,  has  been  consecrated 
to  the  Lord,  and  is  now  training  for  usefulness.    Your 
station  is  no  unimportant  one.     You  feel  it  to  be  so, 
and  I  am  glad  you  do.     I  am  thus  led  to  hope  you 
may  the  better  discharge  its  most  important  duties. 
And  while  you  are  quietly  employed  in  the  care  of 
your  interesting  charge,  it  shall  be  my  prayer  that 
your  dear  children  may  be  early  sanctified  by  grace, 
and  may  grow  up  to  be  ornaments  to  the  church  of 
Christ,  by  their  abundant  labors  for  the  redemption 
of  a  fallen  world.     Give  them  unreservedly  to  your 
God.     It  is  your  great  privilege.     I  was  recently  ex- 
ceedingly interested  in  knowing  the  facts  of  one  pious 
mother's  consecration  of  her  little  ones  to  the  Lord  in 
their  early  years.     She  had  been  out  to  a  missionary 
meeting,  where  she  was  led  deeply  to  feel  the  claims 
of  a  dying  world.     She  asked  herself,  'What  can  I 
do?'      Of   worldly  substance    she   had    little;    but, 
as  she  entered  her  dwelling,  and  saw  her  three  lovely 
children  engaged  in  their  plays,  she  said,  'These  will 
I  give  to  my  God.'     She  retired  to  her  closet,  and 
there,  in  a  covenant  not  to  be  forgotten,  she  surren- 
dered them  to  her  Father.     In  due  season  one  by  one 
he  called  for  them.     The  eldest,  a  daughter,  married 
one  of  our  most  devoted  home  missionaries,  and  now 


68  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

labors  amid  the  desolations  of  the  West.  The  second 
was  called  to  a  foreign  land.  Her  life  was  short,  but 
it  proved  a  blessing  to  benighted  souls.  She  was  for 
a  time  a  member  of  our  beloved  institution.  We  have 
had  transmitted  to  us  the  account  of  her  brief  career 
and  early  death.  We  seemed  to  see  her  enter  heaven 
and  receive  her  'little  crown  and  little  harp,'  as  she 
expressed  it.  The  third,  a  son,  has  just  finished  his 
studies,  and  in  a  few  weeks  will  leave  for  Persia, 
there  to  spend  his  life  in  laboring  in  the  cause  of 
Christ." 

It  might  be  added,  that  another  son  born  sub- 
sequently, and  in  like  manner  consecrated  to  the  Lord 
by  that  devoted  mother,  has  for  years  been  engaged 
in  missionary  work  in  Turkey. 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  69 


CHAPTER  VI. 

EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    LAND   JOURNEY,    ARRIVAL. 

Company.  —  Farewell  Note  to  her  Mother.  —  Life  on  Shipboard.  —  Studies. 
—  Care  of  Judith. — Storm  at  Sea. — Gibraltar.  —  Letter  to  her  "Sec- 
tion."— Smyrna.  —  Children  of  Missionaries.  — Donkey  Ride.  — Constan- 
tinople.—  Visits  Schools.  —  Mosque  of  St.  Sophia.  —  Trebizond. — Erz- 
room.  — Arrival  at  On)omiah.  — AVelcome.  —  Letters  of  Dr.  Perkins  and 
Miss  Lyon. 

On  Wednesday,  March  1st,  1843,  MissFiske,  with 
others  destined  to  the  same  general  field,  embarked 
on  board  the  bark  "Emma  Isadora,"  Capt.  Hallet, 
for  Smyrna.  Besides  Miss  Fiske,  the  missionary 
company  consisted  of  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins  and  wife, 
and  their  daughter  Judith,  who,  after  a  visit  to  this 
country,  were  returning  to  their  Eastern  home  ;  Rev. 
D.  T.  Stoddard  and  wife ;  Rev.  E.  E.  Bliss  and  wife, 
who  expected  to  labor  among  the  jMountain  Nestori- 
ans,  but  were  stationed  at  Trebizond ;  Miss  C.  E. 
Myers  (afterwards  Mrs.  Wright),  and  Mar.  Yohan- 
nan,  a  Nestorian  bishop,  who  had  accompanied  Dr. 
Perkins  to  this  country.  Impressive  religious  ser- 
vices were  held  on  board,  when  the  parting  words 
and  looks  were  interchansred  with  the  numerous 
friends  who  had  gathered  there,  and  at  half-past  four 
o'clock,  p.  M.,  the  bark  left  her  wharf,  spread  her 
sails,  and,  moving  quietly  down  the  harbor,  was  soon 
out  of  sight  of  those  who  had,  with  a  tearful  interest, 


to  FAITH   WORKING   BT  LOVE. 

watched  her  departure,  and  who  breathed  after  her 
many  a  fervent  prayer. 

Amid  the  hurry  of  those  last  busy  days  in  Boston , 
Miss  Fiske  found  little  time  for  the  use  of  the  pen. 
The  following  brief  note  to  her  mother  bears  marks 
of  the  haste  with  which  it  was  written. 

"  Boston,  March  1,  1843. 

"My  dear  Mother  :  —  In  about  oue  hour  I  leave 
for  the  vessel.  I  am  happy  in  the  prospects  before 
me ;  and  your  own  last  comforting  words  have  been 
a  source  of  rich  consolation  to  me.  Oh  !  trust  ever 
in  the  Lord,  and  he  will  support  you.  Pray  much 
that  I  may  be  faithful  in  the  Lord.  If  I  can  only  be 
faithful,  I  shall  regret  no  sacrifice. 

"Yours  in  love, 

"Fidelia." 

Of  that  parting  hour  she  subsequently  wrote : 
"  It  was  to  me  a  day  of  intense  interest,  when  my 
feet  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  vessel  which  was  to  bear 
me  to  an  Eastern  land ;  ray  heart  overflowed  with 
gratitude.  Yes,  I  was  thankful  that  I  might  leave 
all  for  my  Redeemer ;  that  I  might  go  and  spend 
and  be  spent  for  those  sitting  in  darkness." 

The  followins:  extracts  from  Miss  Fiske's  letters 
give  us  glimpses  of  her  manner  of  life  on  shipboard, 
and  show  with  what  spirit  she  went  forth  to  her  mis- 
sionary work. 

"  Atlantic  Ocean,  March  13,  1843. 

"  It  was  half-past  four,  p.  m.  ,  when  the  sails  of  our 
frail  bark  were  filled  to  the  wind,  and  we  found  our- 
selves recedingr  from  the  shores  of  loved  America. 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  71 

I  stood  on  the  deck  and  watched  the  forms  on  the 
shore  until  they  faded  away  in  the  distance.  I  then 
felt  that  I  had  separated  from,  to  meet  no  more,  my 
dearest  earthly  friends.  I  knew  not,  until  then,  how 
well  I  loved  you  all ;  still  I  could  not  wish  to  retrace 
my  steps.  I  stood  where  I  had  longed  to  stand,  nor 
was  the  peace  that  filled  my  bosom  less  than  I  had 
anticipated.  I  knew  that  in  all  human  probability  I 
should  meet  those  I  had  loved,  on  earth,  no  more; 
but  I  hoped  I  was  called  by  my  heavenly  Father  to 
leave  them,  and,  if  so,  I  could  but  rejoice  in  it. 
Earth,  and  earthly  things,  seemed  as  they  had 
seemed,  on  what  I  supposed  was  a  dying-bed,  and  I 
felt  it  sweet  to  lean  on  the  arm  of  the  Beloved.  I 
felt  that  it  was  now  for  me,  in  a  great  measure,  to 
forget  the  things  behind,  and  seek  to  prepare  myself 
for  my  new  field  of  labor.  I  stood  on  the  deck  till  I 
could  see  my  native  shores  no  more,  and  then  returned 
to  the  cabin  where  all  our  little  missionary  baud  were 
soon  assembled.  We  spent  a  little  season  in  com- 
muning of  heavenly  things,  but  soon,  one  by  one,  we 
felt  the  approach  of  our  dreaded  foe,  sea-sickness, 
and  were  compelled  reluctantly  to  retire  to  our  state- 
rooms. That  night  and  the  succeeding  days  brought 
very  rough  weather,  which  doubtless  increased  our 
illness." 

''March  14.  —  You  will  like  to  know  how  I  pass 
my  time,  and  I  as  gladly  tell  you.  1  have  taken 
Httle  Judith  (a  darling  child)  to  be  my  companion 
part  of  the  time.  She  sleeps  with  me,  and  I  dress 
and  prepare  her  for  breakfast,  which,  with  the  care 
of  myself,  takes  until  breakfast-time,  which  is  usually 
at  eisrht.     After  this  I  have  some  time  alone.     And 


72  FAITH   WORKENQ  BY  LOVE. 

this  I  would  record  as  a  signal  blessing,  for  I  may  be 
as  uninterrupted  as  ever  I  was  in  my  *  mountain  home.' 
After  this  the  bishop  is  ever  ready  to  give  Miss 
Myers  and  myself  a  lesson  in  Syriac.  ...  At  teti 
we  have  Hitchcock's  Geology.  Mr.  Perkins  thought 
it  very  desirable  that  we  should  possess  considerable 
knowledge  of  this  before  our  land  journey.  Mr.  Per- 
kins and  Mr.  Stoddard  are  our  teachers.  I  enjoy  the 
lessons  very  much.  Perhaps  I  may  become  better  fit- 
ted to  make  selections  for  your  cabinet.  We  have  two 
hours  for  religious  reading  together,  in  the  afternoon 
and  evening.  The  rest  of  the  time  we  can  spend  on 
deck  or  in  the  cabin,  studying,  writing,  or  doing 
what  we  please.  The  days  seem  not  long,  and  time 
passes  very  pleasantly. 

"My  health  is  good,  and  I  can  truly  say  my  cup 
overflows  with  blessings.  I  ask  but  a  holy,  thankful 
heart,  which  shall  prepare  me  for  everything  which 
is  before  me." 

^^  March  15.  —  St.  Michaels,  one  of  the  Western 
Isles,  is  now  fully  in  view.  It  is  a  beautiful  island, 
about  thirty  miles  long  and  six  or  seven  broad.  We 
can  distinctly  see  its  houses  and  beautiful  green  wheat- 
fields.  I  have  been  seated  an  hour  on  the  *  house  on 
deck,'  gazing  at  it.  The  sun  shone  out  most  brightly 
on  us,  the  nautiluses  played  abundantly  in  the  water 
by  our  side,  and  once  and  again  we  beheld  a  sail  in 
the  distance.  Is  there  not  enough  in  nature  every- 
where to  lead  the  mind  to  God,  if  we  will  but  behold 
it  ?  Why  should  we  so  often  deplore  the  loss  of  com- 
forts while  so  much  remains  ?  Oftener  does  my  heart 
weep  over  what  is  left  than  over  what  has  departed. 
Perhaps  you  will  ask  if  I  did  not  desire  to  set  foot  on 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  73 

this  land.  Had  it  been  the  place  of  my  destination  I 
would  gladly  have  done  so.  But,  as  it  is,  I  would 
rather  be  on  the  deep  waters  hastening  to  my  Persian 
home.  I  care  not  how  soon  I  rest  there,  or  rather 
labor  there. 

"May  I,  my  dear  sisters,  speak  to  you  as  when  with 
you?  Well,  then,  let  me  tell  you  how  precious 
has  been  to  me  the  hour  of  prayer,  since  I  have  been 
on  board.  Does  one  trying  thought  enter  the  soul, 
there  seems  a  voice  ijei.tly  whispering,  'The  remedy's 
before  thee  :  pray.'  When  earthly  friends  are  dimin- 
ished in  number,  or  absent  from  us,  there  is  a  sweet- 
ness I  knew  not  when  with  them,  in  leaving  all  with 
God.  O  my  dear  friends,  will  you  not  often  pray 
that  I  may  never  trust  myself,  or  lean  on  any  arm  of 
flesh  !  " 

''March  17.  —  We  have  passed  the  last  of  the 
Azores,  and  arc  now  bending  towards  Gibraltar  with 
a  fjivorable  wind.  Since  commencing  our  lessons  in 
Turkish  our  time  is  as  completely  tilled  (that  is,  if 
we  devote  as  much  as  we  wish  to  writinsf  our 
friends)  as  ever  were  days  at  Holyoke.  I  little  ex- 
pected in  one  fortnight  to  find  my  time  so  occupied. 
But  I  like  it  so  much  the  better ;  it  seems  like  my  last 
loved  home.  Mr.  Perkins  says  to-day,  'You  like 
enough  to  do,  do  you  not?'  And  he  says,  at  Oroo- 
miah  I  shall  have  all  I  desire.  If  it  is  my  Father's 
will,  I  hope  my  life  and  health  may  be  spared  to  labor 
there." 

"March  21. — This  morning  we  hoped  that  the 
day  might  be  pleasant,  and  might  find  us  bidding 
adieu  to  the  troubled  Atlantic.  But  vain  were  our 
hopes.     We  are  now  orobably  little  nearer  Gibraltar 


74  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

than  in  the  morning.  The  rain  is  pouring  down  in 
torrents,  and  the  wind  has  increased  to  a  gale.  One 
moment  we  are  borne  aloft  on  the  wave  to  the  moun- 
tain's height ;  the  next,  the  waves  literally  encompasa 
us.  From  the  window  of  the  '  house  on  deck '  I  look 
out  to  trace  a  Father's  hand  in  this  wild  commotion, 
for  I  cannot  go  on  deck  with  any  safety.  The  men 
are  all  at  their  posts ;  the  captain,  with  an  anxious 
countenance,  is  much  at  the  helm.  But  oh !  there 
is  to  me  a  sweeter  thought :  ^My  Father  is  at  the 
helm!'" 

"  Thursday,  23.  —  Rejoice  with  me,  my  dear  friend  ! 
We  have  left  the  rude  Atlantic,  and  are  now  in  the 
peaceful  Mediterranean.  The  storm  of  Tuesday  was 
more  violent  in  the  evening,  or  rather  in  the  night, 
than  in  the  day. 

"  From  early  childhood  I  have  been  familiar  with 
Gibraltar's  reported  grandeur ;  but,  when  my  eyes 
really  beheld  it,  I  stood  in  mute  astonishment.  It 
was  half-past  four  when  we  passed  it,  —  about  noon 
with  my  dear  Holyoke  friends,  and  their  recreation 
day  too.  Oh  that  I  could  for  a  moment  be  with 
them,  and  tell  them  how  a  kind  Providence  has 
watched  over  us  and  brought  us  safely  over  the  At- 
lantic waves  in  just  twenty-one  days,  —  as  short  a 
passage,  the  captain  tells  us,  as  he  ever  had,  and  still 
as  rough  a  one.  We  passed  through  the  Straits  at 
the  rate  of  eleven  miles  an  hour,  and  now,  that  my 
eye  had  looked  on  Europe  and  Africa,  I  felt  that  ] 
was  really  far,  far  from  home. 

"After  passing  the  rock,  we  went  to  tea  with  joy- 
ful, and,  I  hope,  thankful  hearts.  We  found  our 
table  spread  without  the  usual  'rack'  for  keepinoj  our 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,   ETC.  75 

utensils  in  place,  and  it  was  so  quiet  that  we  needed  it 
not.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  pleasant  it  seemed  to  be 
once  more  quiet !  We  shall  probably  have  no  more 
so  rousrh  'seas.'  In  the  evenins^  we  returned  to  our 
reading  with  more  than  ordinary  interest.  We  are 
now  reading  in  the  evening  'D'Aubigne's  History  of 
the  Reformation.'" 

^^  March  23. — I  need  not  tell  you  I  think  often 
and  much  of  you,  and  I  thank  the  Providence  that 
brought  us  together  this  year.  Oh,  may  it  be  found 
in  the  last  day  that  our  spiritual  interests  were  pro- 
moted by  it !  How  precious  to  me  is  the  recollection 
of  those  last  days  spent  with  you,  and  of  that  last 
night,  when,  for  the  last  time,  we  bowed  together 
before  the  throne  of  grace  !  Oh,  it  is  Christian  inter- 
course that  binds  hearts  by  the  strongest  ties  !  Has 
not  such  intercourse  been  ours?  May  it  not  still  be 
so  on  earth,  and  may  we  not  hope  to  be  forever  en- 
gaged in  this  blessed  employment  in  the  world  to 
which  we  now  hasten?" 

"  Wednesday^  29.  —  Another  recreation-day  with 
you.  Is  it  your  day  for  a  missionary  meeting,  or  was 
it  last  week  ?  Have  you  remembered  your  unworthy 
sisters  on  the  ftir-off  seas?  It  may  be  that  my  use- 
fulness will  greatly  depend  on  your  prayers  for  me. 
Sisters,  pray  for  me ;  it  will  be  the  greatest  blessing 
you  can  confer  upon  me.  O  my  dear  sisters,  your 
own  hearts  will  be  warmed,  and  you  will  feel  that  you 
are  rewarded  a  hundred-fold  for  all  your  labor,  even 
in  this  life." 


76  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

TO   SECTION    "no.  4,"   NORTH  DIVISION,  MT.    HOLYOKB 
SEJHNARY. 

"  Mediterranean  Sea,  April  1,  1843. 

"  Beloved  Friends  :  —  I  cannot  repress  my  incli- 
nation to  write  one  sheet  to  you  on  the  deep  waters. 
All  of  Holyoke's  sisters  were  dear  to  me  ;  but,  as  you 
were  placed  under  my  especial  care,  I  loved  to  call 
you  'my  own,'  in  its  truest  sense;  and  since  sep- 
arated from  you,  not  a  day  has  passed  without  my 
thinking  of  you.  Precious  to  me  is  the  memory  of 
the  last  few  days  I  spent  with  you.  How  was  ray 
heart  warmed  to  see  the  interest  you  manifested  in 
the  cause  of  missions !  Oh,  may  you  never  lose  it, 
but  may  it  increase  and  increase,  until  you  shall  all 
be  found  doing  all  in  this  blessed  work  which  your 
heavenly  Father  would  have  you  do  !  Many  of  you 
now  hope  that  you  are  the  children  of  God.  In  your 
expressed  desires  to  be  whole-hearted  Christians  I 
was  deeply  interested  ;  my  prayer  to  God  shall  be 
that  you  may  be  such,  — that  you  may  have  humble, 
holy  hearts,  fitting  you  to  labor  abundantly  for  your 
blessed  Redeemer.  If  you  do  really  desire  to  live 
lives  of  active  piety,  enough  will  be  given  you  to  do, 
yea,  more,  —  strength  to  do  it. 

"  But  some  of  you  I  left  strangers  to  God ;  and  is 
such  still  your  estate,  beloved  ones?  I  sometimes 
hope  that,  before  this,  you  have  found  the  Saviour 
precious  to  your  souls,  and  that  each  of  you  can 
say,  with  a  good  degree  of  confidence,  'I  love  the 
Lord.'  Again  I  think,  perhaps  it  may  be  otherwise. 
Then  I  ask  myself,  is  there  anything  more  I  can  do 
for  those  I  love  so  much  ?  A  still  monitor  then  seems 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  77 

to  say,  *  Praying  breath  is  never  spent  in  vain  ;'  and, 
in  the  solitude  of  my  little  state-room,  I  seek  Heav- 
en's blessing  for  those  whom  I  may  no  more  ask  to  go 
with  me  to  the  New  Jerusalem  as  I  take  their  hands 
in  mine.  It  is  a  solemn  thought  that  I  can  never 
again  speak  personally  to  you.  I  feel  that  I  have 
been  unfaithful  to ^you.  Will  you  forgive  me  ?  Oh, 
let  no  neglect  of  mine  keep  you  from  the  way  of  eter- 
nal life  !  The  day  hastens  on  when  we  shall  consider 
an  interest  in  Christ  as  of  more  value  than  all  that 
the  world  can  give. 

"The  difference  in  our  time  prevents  my  observing 
with  you  the  time  of  the  recess  prayer-meeting ;  but 
I  am  happy  in  the  thought  that  my  own  beloved  sec- 
tion will  all  observe  it.  Is  it  not  so?  No  seasons 
of  prayer  when  I  was  at  Holyoke  are  now  remem- 
bered with  more  interest  than  those  meetinsfs.  Fail 
not  to  remember  when  you  are  together  those  whom 
your  eyes  have  never  seen,  and  never  will  see  until 
the  judgment-day.  Be  faithful  in  prayer,  and  you 
may  in  that  day  see  some  who  have  been  saved  in 
answer  to  your  supplications 

"  Ever  remember  me,  my  dear  young  friends,  in 
your  prayers,  that  I  may  be  faithful  in  my  Master's 
service.  Enclosed  is  my  tenderest  love  for  each  and 
every  one  of  you. 

"I  am  now,  as  on  the  day  I  left  you, 

"Affectionately  yours, 

"Fidelia  Fiske." 

TO    HER   mother   AND    SISTER. 

April  4.  —  "  Last  evening  I  stood  on  the  'house  on 
deck,*  and  saw  the  sun  go  down.    It  was  a  delightful 


78  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

scene.  The  golden  clouds  were  reflected  from  the 
gentle  water's  surface,  with  no  common  splendor. 
Reluctantly  I  turned  away,  and  retired  to  the  cabin. 
But  I  remained  not  long,  for  the  beauties  of  an 
evening  at  sea,  and  on  Grecian  shores,  rested  upon 
and  around  us,  and  called  me  forth.  The  new 
moon  in  the  west  was  shining  on  the  placid  waters, 
which  only  played  at  this  time  in  gentle  ripples. 
Methought  this  little  orb  of  night  seemed  arrayed 
in  a  lustre  not  her  own,  for  never  had  I  looked  on 
her  when  she  seemed  so  lovely.  Her  gentle  beams, 
reflected  from  the  water's  surface,  caused  it  to  seem 
like  a  sea  of  glass;  the  stars,  those  sparkling  'gems 
of  night,'  did  literally  '  bestud  the  sky.'  As  I  looked  on 
that  scene  I  could  only  exclaim,  '  How  beautiful,  how 
glorious  are  thy  works.  Parent  of  good !'  And  there 
was  to  me,  as  I  gazed,  one  sweet  thought.  It  was, 
that  on  these  same  nightly  objects  my  own  dear 
mother  and  sisters  may  look.  But  this  was  not  all, 
nor  the  sweetest  thought  of  that  hour ;  for  then  I 
remembered  that  our  Father,  our  Guide  and  Keeper, 
was  the  same.  This  morning  I  arose  at  half-past 
four,  and  went  out  to  take  a  morning  view  of  what 
lay  around  and  above  us.  Jupiter,  Saturn,  and 
Venus  were  still  visible,  and  the  heavens  seemed 
slowly  preparing  to  welcome  the  king  of  day.  At 
length  he  came,  in  all  his  glory.  His  appearance  was 
sudden,  and  I  would  not,  for  much,  have  lost  sight 
of  it.  It  was  as  thousrh  a  husre  ball  of  fire  had  sud- 
denly  arisen  from  the  water's  edge.  Not  a  cloud 
played  about  him,  nor  aught  to  mar  his  ascending 
glory." 


EMBAKKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  79 

TO  FRIENDS  AT  MT.    HOLYOKE   SEMINARY. 

"Smybha,  April  8. 

"  We  are  now  in  our  first  desired  haven,  and  here  I 
will  pen  a  few  lines  to  you.    Yesterday,  at  half-past 
three  in  the  afternoon,  we  anchored  in  Smyrna  harbor. 
We  were  in  sight  of  the  town  in  the  morning,  but  were 
a  long  time  in  beating  up,  for  the  winds  were  contrary. 
Before  three,  a  boat  was  seen  coming  towards  us.    As 
it  approached,  we  found  that  it  contained  Mr.  Van 
Lennep  and  brother.     It  was  pleasant  to  us  all  to 
meet  him,  but  particularly  so  to  Mr.  Bliss.     Our 
captain  went  on  shore  about  this  time,  and  returned 
with  the  health  officer  of  the  custom-house,  who,  after 
examining  the  health  bill  of  the  passengers,  and  scru- 
tinizing our  very  selves,  permitted  us  to  go  on  shore. 
But,  before  we  were  in  readiness  to  go,  our  hearts 
were  made  still  more  glad  by  seeing  Mr.  Temple,  and 
Mr.    King  from  Greece    (the   latter  was  on  a  visit 
here)  approaching  us.     It  was  good  to  see  these  mis- 
sionary fathers  coming  to  bid  us   welcome  in   the 
name  of  the  Lord. 

"The  meeting  with  Mr.  King  was  wholly  unex- 
pected, but  not  the  less  pleasant.  He  remembered 
the  time  when  he  had  laid  his  hand  on  my  head,  say- 
ing, '  I  wish  you  were  old  enough  to  go  with  me  to 
Greece.'  And  now  he  says,  *I  will  bid  you  welcome 
to  this  laud,  if  I  may  not  to  Greece.' 

"  Let  me  tell  you  of  the  strange  feeling  that  filled 
my  mind  when  I  first  stepped  ashore.  It  was  a  rainy 
afternoon,  which  added  not  a  little  to  the  unpleasant- 
ness of  the  scene.  When  our  little  boat  first  came 
along  the  shore,  we  could  behold  people  of  various 


80  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

nations  and  costumes,  and,  as  our  ears  soon  told 
us,  tongues.  It  seemed  to  us  all  a  perfect  Babel. 
Our  trunks  being  landed  (nothing  else  was  brought 
on  shore,  but  put  from  the  ship  into  the  steamboat, 
which  carried  us  from  Smyrna  to  Constantinople), 
some  dozen  of  hamnouls  (porters)  contended  for  the 
privilege  of  carrying  them  to  our  boarding-place, 
at  Mr.  Temple's.  For  this,  they  would  expect  to  re- 
ceive perhaps  a  piastre  (four  cents).  They,  having 
taken  two  or  three  trunks  apiece  on  their  backs,  pro- 
ceeded on  their  way,  while  we  followed  through  the 
dirty,  narrow  streets,  too  narrow  to  admit  a  single 
carriage,  until  we  reached  Mr.  Temple's,  which  was 
not  far. 

"  There  are  many  interesting  associations  connected 
with  Smyrna.  It  is  pleasant  to  remember  that  here 
was  once  a  church  of  the  living  God,  whose  works, 
tribulation,  and  poverty  were  known  by  the  blessed 
Redeemer,  although  scarce  a  vestige  of  it  now  re- 
mains." 

Miss  Fiske  spent  a  week  very  pleasantly  and  prof- 
itably at  Smyrna.  She  enjoyed  exceedingly  her  in- 
tercourse with  the  missionary  brethren  and  sisters  at 
that  station,  and  their  families.  Much  as  she  needed 
rest  after  her  boisterous  voyage,  she  spent  most  of 
the  time  in  visiting  the  schools  connected  with  the 
mission,  and  in  gaining  an  insight  into  the  details  of 
missionary  work.  She  was  deeply  affected  by  her 
first  view  of  the  moral  condition  of  those  who  had 
never  felt  the  benign  influences  of  a  pure  Christianity. 
"My  heart,"  she  writes,  "bleeds  over  the  wretched- 
ness which  meets  my  eye  here.     Had  I  ten  thousand 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  81 

lives,  I  would  gladly  give  them  all  away  to  help  raise 
these  degraded  oues.  But  they  are  very  difficult  of 
access  here  ;  much  more  so  than  in  the  field  to  which 
we  go." 

The  children  of  the  missionaries  excited  in  her  a 
lively  and  tender  interest.  In  their  behalf  she  thus 
appeals  to  her  Mt.  Holyoke  friends  :  — 

"  Will  you  not  love  sometimes  particularly  to  re- 
member them  in  your  seasons  of  prayer?  I  have  felt 
more  than  ever  before,  since  I  have  been  in  mission- 
ary families,  the  need  of  prayer  for  these  children. 
We  cannot  begin  to  know  at  home  the  temptations  to 
which  they  are  exposed.  Nor  can  we  know  the  anx- 
iety of  their  dear  parents  in  their  behalf. .  Beloved 
sisters,  bear  with  me  while  I  again  entreat  you  to 
pray  for  them.  The  answer  to  your  prayers  may 
send  comfort  to  a  mother's  heart  when  ready  to  sink 
under  the  cares  that  devolve  upon  her  in  this  land  of 
darkness." 

All  that  need  further  be  said  of  her  stay  in  Smyrna 
is  contained  in  an  extract  from  a  letter  to  her 
mother :  — 

"  We  remained  in  Smyrna  just  one  week.  It  was 
a  busy,  pleasant,  and  I  hope  profitable,  week.  It  was 
good,  after  thirty-six  days  at  sea,  to  find  so  pleasant 
a  home  as  Mr.  Temple's  house  afforded."  . 
"Connected  with  Mr.  Temple  are  Messrs.  Adger  and 
Riggs,  with  their  families.  They  are  in  Bournabat,  — 
a  pleasant  village  eight  miles  from  Smyrna.  The  day 
after  we  reached  Smyrna,  Messrs.  Adger  and  Riggs, 
being  at  Mr.  Temple's,  invited  Miss  Myers  and  my- 
self to  go  home  with  them  and  spend  the  Sabbath. 
We  gratefully  accepted  the  invitation,  with  the  under- 


82  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

standing  that  we  should  thereby  enjoy  a  'donkey- 
ride.'  And  here  let  me  say,  that  I  saw  not  a  carriage 
in  Smyrna,  and  but  few  horses.  Transportation  is 
chiefly  by  porters,  donkeys,  and,  perchance  now  and 
then,  a  string  of  camels.  About  half-past  four  the 
donkeys  were  brought  to  the  door,  and  we  found 
ourselves  mounted,  for  the  first  time,  on  these  little 
creatures,  upon  whom  we  might  with  little  difficulty 
have  seated  ourselves  by  a  single  step  from  the 
ground.  I  had  a  saddle,  but  no  bridle ;  however,  I 
was  attended  by  a  Greek  muleteer,  who  carried  in 
his  hand  a  sharp-pointed  instrument,  with  which  he 
continually  goaded  the  animal,  so  that  we  pressed 
forward  at  no  very  slow  rate.  The  eight  miles  were 
soon  passed,  and  I  found  myself  in  Mr.  Riggs'  very 
pleasant  family."  .  .  .  "We  remained  at  Bour- 
nabat  until  Tuesday,  when  we  returned  to  Smyrna. 
We  left  at  an  early  hour,  walked  three  miles  over  a 
pleasant  portion  of  the  country,  gathering  the  beauti- 
ful flowers  that  abounded  there.  In  this  walk  we 
passed  several  wells,  digged  in  other  days  by  Moham- 
medans, for  the  benefit  of  the  weary,  thirsty  tr^eller. 
By  these  acts  of  benevolence  they  were  believed  to  be 
entitled  to  high  seats  in  the  heavenly  kingdom.  But 
we  found  the  wells  deep,  and  nothing  to  draw  with  ; 
so  we  passed  on,  unbenefited  by  their  cooling  waters. 
Our  walk  of  three  miles  brought  us  to  the  water. 
Here  we  took  a  boat ;  but  the  waves  were  so  high  as 
to  render  rowing  impracticable.  A  sail  was  therefore 
raised,  and  we  went  dashing  forward  at  'Atlantic 
speed.'  Wh'le  on  the  ocean  I  often  longed  for  a  good 
dash  of  salt  water,  but  it  never  came.  But  now  it 
came  to  my  heart's  content.     The  wavss  rolled  over 


EMBAKKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  83 

US,  pouring  off  from  our  bonnets  in  sheets.  Mr. 
Riggs  felt  very  sad  that  he  had  brought  us  into  such 
a 'fix.'  But  we  comforted  him  by  telling  him  that 
we  enjoyed  it  right  well ;  and  so  we  did,  although, 
when  we  reached  the  shore,  we  were  completely 
drenched.  We  had  then  a  mile  to  walk,  and  I  imag- 
ine that  we  presented  no  very  pleasing  appearance  as 
we  passed  through  the  streets.  But  safe  and  sound 
we  reached  Mr.  Temple's,  and  suffered  not  at  all  from 
our  adventure."  .  .  .  "The  afternoon  of  Thurs- 
day we  spent  in  visiting  the  remains  of  ancient 
Smyrna.  These  are  on  a  hill  overlooking  the  pres- 
ent city,  which  is  veiy  low.  Before  us,  as  we  hero 
stood,  were  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  fort,  and  the  am- 
phitheatre where  were  celebrated  the  Grecian  games, 
and  also  the  spot  pointed  out  and  believed  to  be  that 
of  Polycarp's  martyrdom."  .  .  .  "  Thursday  even- 
ing the  missionaries  assembled  at  Mr.  Temple's  for  a 
prayer-meeting.  Some  others  were  present,  making 
our  whole  number  about  twenty-five.  It  was  to  us, 
'  ready  to  depart  on  the  morrow,'  a  most  precious  sea- 
son. The  departing,  and  remaining  ones  were  com- 
mended to  a  covenant-keeping  God,  iu  whose  presence 
we  all  hope  one  day  to  meet.  Nor  were  our  friends 
at  home  forgotten ;  and  here  let  me  say  that  I  have 
not  heard  a  prayer  offered,  since  I  have  been  among 
missionaries,  in  which  the  friends  at  home  have  not 
been  remembered.  Are  missionaries  as  constantly 
remembered  by  those  they  have  left  behind  ?  Friday 
morning,  after  making  necessary  preparations  for  leav- 
ing in  the  afternoon,  we  called  on  Mrs.  Van  Lennep, 
the  widow  of  one  of  those  brothers  with  whom  Uncle 
Pliny  resided  when  here.     She  spoke  of  him  with  the 


84  FAITH  WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

deepest  interest,  saying  to  me,  'And  now  oiir  house 
is  just  as  when  he  was  with  us ;  this  was  where  he 
dined;'  and,  pointing  to  another  room,  'there  he 
preached.'  Mr.  Jacob  Van  Lennep,  the  surviving 
brother,  is  consul-general  in  Smyrna.  He  had  twice 
called  to  see  me  when  absent,  and,  when  he  knew  I 
was  at  Mrs.  Van  Lennep's,  came  again.  He  wished 
(to  use  his  own  words)  '  an  affectionate  remembrance 
to  all  the  brothers  and  sisters  of  his  early  and  loved 
friend,  Mr.  Fiske ; '  and  he  added,  'also  to  your  own 
mother ;  tell  them  all  that  I  treasure  their  names 
among  my  choicest  ones,  and,  when  I  met  you,  I  felt 
more  as  if  beholdinor  an  old  friend  than  a  stransrer.'" 

The  missionary  band  left  Smyrna  April  14th,  in 
the  Austrian  steamer  Siri  Parvas.  "We  reached 
Constantinople,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "after  a  pleasant 
passage  of  thirty-eight  hours.  It  was  as  clear  a 
morning  as  ever  lighted  an  eastern  sky,  when  we  en- 
tered the  harbor,  giving  us  a  most  delightful  view  of 
the  city.  It  being  the  Sabbath,  the  captain  kindly 
consented  that  our  effects  should  all  remain  undis- 
turbed till  Monday.  Arrangements  having  been 
made  for  us  in  the  families  of  Messrs.  Dwiofht  and 
Holmes,  we  went  to  our  temporary  homes,  enjoying 
a  pleasant  and  quiet  Sabbath." 

Miss  Fiske  spent  nearly  three  weeks  in  Constanti- 
nople. These  she  turned  to  good  account  in  making 
herself  more  familiar  with  missionary  operations, 
treasuring  up  a  store  of  facts,  and  suggestions,  and 
counsels,  which  were  exceedingly  valuable  in  refer- 
ence to  her  own  future  work.  She  took  a  special  in- 
terest in  the  schools  connected  with  this  mission,  and 
carefully  studied  the  methods  employed  to  secure  the 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  85 

mental  and  moral  improvement  of  the  Armenian 
youth. 

She  was  fortunate  in  having  an  opportunity  to  visit 
the  Mosque  of  St.  Sophia,  of  which  she  thus  writes  :  — 

"This,  as  you  probably  know,  was  once  a  temple 
of  the  living  God.  It  was  built  by  the  Christian 
Etnperor,  Constantine,  and  the  pillars,  which  graced 
his  temples  when  an  idolater,  were  brought  by  him 
from  various  places  to  support  this  vast  fabric.  My 
own  eyes  have  seen  the  eight  pillars  of  beautiful  por- 
phyry, perhaps  two  and  a  half  or  three  feet  in 
diameter,  which  he  placed  in  his  great  temple.  After 
the  time  of  Constantine,  the  building  went  into 
decay,  but  was  rebuilt  by  Justinian.  When  the  city 
was  taken  by  the  Turks,  it  was  converted  into  a 
Mussulman's  mosque.  No  Franks  are  now,  or  ever 
have  been,  permitted  to  visit  it,  except  by  a  special 
firman  from  the  Sultan  ;  and  this  is  obtained  only  by 
the  payment  of  a  considerable  sum.  But  fortunately 
for  us,  while  in  the  city,  the  lady  of  Mr.  Payson, 
American  Consul  at  Messina,  visited  Constantinople, 
and  obtained  a  firman  for  visiting  this  and  other  for- 
bidden  spots.  We  were  invited  to  join  her  company, 
and  gladly  accepted  the  invitation.  At  the  hour 
appointed  we  repaired  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Brown, 
American  Charge  d' Affaires  at  this  place.  It  was  a 
wet  day,  but  we  suffered  not  at  all  from  it.  We  first 
visited  the  Turkish  Armory,  where  are  multitudes  of 
the  arms  of  other  days.  We  visited  one  small 
mosque  before  we  went  to  St.  Sophia.  We  reached 
the  last-named  place  just  before  noon,  — the  time  for 
prayers.  There  were  hundreds  assembled  to  repeat 
the  Mohammedan  prayers,  and  bow  towards  Mecca. 


86  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

We  were  not  allowed  to  go  into  the  body  of  the 
house  till  after  prayers ;  but  were  permitted  to  go 
into  the  galleries  and  look  down  on  these  poor  de- 
luded mortals.  Oh,  how  did  my  heart  weep  over 
them  in  their  lost  and  ruined  state  !  The  galleries 
are  so  elevated  that  persons  below  looked  only  like 
children.  It  is  estimated  that  they  will  contain  teu 
thousand  persons,  and  the  whole  mosque,  perhaps 
thirty  thousand.  The  length  of  the  body  of  the 
building  is  two  hundred  and  sixty-nine  feet,  and  the 
breadth  one  hundred  and  forty-three  feet.  In  the 
centre  is  a  dome,  the  interior  of  which  is  gilt  mosaic 
work.  It  has,  I  think,  forty-two  windows,  and  is 
one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  from  the  ground.  This 
dome  is  one  hundred  and  fifteen  feet  in  diameter,  and 
has  an  inscription  on  its  inner  surface,  the  letter  of 
which  are  said  to  be  ten  yards  long.  On  either  side 
of  the  dome  are  seraphims  which  are  also  of  mosaic 
work.  In  the  lower  part  of  the  mosque  are  thou- 
sands of  small  glass  lamps,  hung  in  lines,  five  to- 
gether, or  in  splendid  chandeliers.  From  the  galleries 
they  look  like  little  diamonds.  They  are  cup-form, 
and  I  should  think  would  hold  about  two  gills  each. 
When  all  lighted  they  must  give  to  the  house  a  most 
splendid  appearance.  Oh  that  God  were  wor- 
shipped there  by  humble,  sincere  hearts  !  and  I  have 
no  doubt  he  will  be  one  day.  There  is  a  change  com- 
ing over  these  dark  regions.  A  spirit  of  inquiry  is 
awaking  here.  May  the  Lord  come,  and  that  speed 
ily  !  From  the  mosque  we  went  to  the  mausoleum 
of  the  Sultan.  It  is  a  splendid  building,  beneath 
which  were  laid  his  remains,  and  those  of  his  family, 
numbering  fifty-four." 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  8? 

The  presence  of  Dr.  King,  the  early  friend  and  as- 
sociate  of  her  uncle,  Pliny  Fiske,  added  greatly  to 
the  pleasure  of  Miss  Fiske's  visit  at  Constantinople. 
Of  him,  she  writes  thus  to  her  mother:  — 

"I  enjoyed  seeing  him  very  much,  though  the  good 
man  said,  when  he  bade  me  good-by,  '  you  cannot  have 
enjoyed  it  as  much  as  I  have.'  The  tears  would  roll 
down  his  cheeks  as  he  spoke  of  Uncle  Pliny,  and 
then  looked  at  me.  He  and  Mr.  Goodale  both  thought 
that  in  everything  I  much  resembled  him.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Goodale  would  look  at  me  and  say,  'How  much 
you  do  make  us  think  of  your  uncle  !  It  does  us  good 
to  look  at  you.'  You  will  be  surprised  that  they 
should  think  thus,  since  none  of  you  at  home  could 
see  any  resemblance.  Mr.  Goodale  and  Mr.  King 
both  wished  to  be  remembered  very  affectionately  to 
all  the  family  friends,  and  particularly  to  you,  dear 
mother.  They  said,  'Tell  her,  she  has  given  you  to 
a  noble  work,  and  will  never  regret  it.  We  bid  her 
child  welcome  to  our  missionary  circle,  and  feel  that 
those  who  have  been  tried  in  separation  from  a  dear 
friend  will  l)e  rewarded  for  their  sacrifice.'" 

Miss  Fiske,  with  the  company  to  which  she  be- 
longed, left  Constantinople  May  4th,  in  the  Austrian 
steamer,  ''  Stamboul,"  Capt.  Ford,  for  Trebizond ; 
grateful  for  the  providential  detention  which  had 
given  her  this  favorable  opportunity  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  so  large  a  circle  of  excellent  and  ex- 
perienced missionaries.  She  writes,  soon  after  leav- 
ing:— 

"I  wish  I  could  tell  you  of  the  delightful  seasons 
of  Christian  intercourse  we  have  enjoyed  with  the 
dear   missionary  brothers    and   sisters,  as  we   have 


88  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

passed  aloug.  It  has  been  sweet,  it  has  been  soal- 
reviving.  I  shall  carry  with  me  the  most  pleasant 
remembrances  of  them  as  I  go  to  my  field  of  labor." 

From  Trebizond  she  writes  :  "  Our  passage  of  seven 
hundred  miles  to  this  place  was  a  pleasant  one  of  less 
than  three  days.  Captain  Ford  is  an  intelligent  Eng- 
lishman. We  felt  at  his  table  more  as  if  in  the  house 
of  a  friend  than  in  a  steamboat  surrounded  by  hun- 
dreds of  strangers.  We  would  be  grateful  for  this 
and  thousands  of  other  blessings.  And  here  I  would 
speak  of  the  appearance  of  the  deck  of  a  steamer  in 
these  seas.  It  is  covered  with  hundreds,  I  might 
almost  say,  '  of  all  nations,  kindred,  and  tongues.' 
There  have  been  no  less  than  eight  or  nine  diflerent 
costumes  and  languages  on  both  of  the  boats  in  which 
we  have  been.  Many  of  these  deck  passengers  are 
the  most  filthy  objects  I  ever  saw  ;  others  are  of  con- 
siderable respectability  among  their  own  people. 
They  bring  their  own  bed  and  provisions  with 
them,  and  day  and  night,  men,  women,  and  children, 
encamp  together  in  the  open  air. 

"Among  the  passengers  of  the  "Stamboul"  was  a 
Persian,  who  had  just  left  Constantinople  with  a 
Georgian  female,  whom  he  had  bought  in  the  slave 
market,  to  be  the  wife  of  a  friend.  He  paid  for  her 
one  thousand  dollars.  She  was  accompanied  by  a 
colored  female,  who  is  to  be  a  kind  of  second  wife, 
for  whom  he  paid  four  hundred  dollars.  The  first- 
named  answered  to  all  my  ideas  of  the  beauty  of 
Georgian  females.  She  was  dressed  in  a  beautiful 
purple  merino  loose  garment,  and  her  face  was  nearly 
covered  with  a  common  veil,  called  'gashmak.'  I 
should  think  her  about  fourteen  years  of  age. 


EMBAKKA  riOX,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  89 

"  Mr.  Johnston  is  the  only  missionary  here.  He 
and  his  worthy  companion  have  long  labored  here 
alone,  but  not  without  affecting  good.  They  had  not 
seen  an  American  since  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins  passed 
this  way  on  their  return  to  America.  I  need  not  say 
they  were  glad  to  see  us.  Two  evenings  ago  we  had 
a  ];)rayer-meeting  at  which  Mr.  Johnston  spoke  of 
their  solitude.  'Often,'  he  said,  *we  have  sat  down 
at  the  communion  season  alone.  Last  Sabbath  was 
our  regular  time  for  observing  it,  but,  knowing  of 
your  coming,  we  deferred  it  until  you  should  be  with 
us.  As  he  spoke  of  these  things  poor  Mrs.  Johnston 
was  obliged  to  leave  the  room,  overcome  with  weep- 
ing.    She  has  suffered  much  from  being  thus  alone." 

TO   HER   MOTHER. 

"  And  now  I  know  you  will  wish  to  learn  particu- 
larly in  regard  to  myself,  —  if  I  have  been  well ;  if  I 
have  not  deeply  felt  the  need  of  a  near  and  dear 
friend,  like  a  mother  or  sister,  into  whose  compas- 
sionate bosom  to  pour  all  the  feelings  of  my  heart? 
A  thousand  other  inquiries  I  know  the  love  of  my 
dear  mother  would  prompt ;  and  with  the  same  frank- 
ness as  when  in  childhood  I  rested  on  my  mother's 
bosom,  would  I  answer  them.  Since  the  first  three 
days  at  sea  I  have  not  seen  an  hour  of  sickness.  I 
have  really  been  unusually  well.  But  I  would  ever 
bear  in  mind  that  sickness  may  and  probably  will 
come  ;  and  that,  without  a  mother's  or  sister's  tender 
care,  I  may  languish  and  die.  Sometimes  such 
thoughts  steal  over  me  for  a  moment  to  sadden ;  but 
I  remember  that  there  is  One  who  loves  better  than 
any  earthly  friend,  and  can  better  provide  for  a  sick- 


90  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

bed.  Oh,  how  sweet  to  trust  a  divine  hand  for  all 
we  need  !  A  kind  Father  has  provided  for  us  hi 
days  of  affliction.  Oh,  how  does  the  remembrance 
of  those  days  open  the  hidden  fountains  of  the  soul ! 
I  weep  not  alone  over  the  loved  ones  gone  to  the 
silent  grave,  but  over  the  remembrance  of  kindness 
shown  to  us  in  those  days.  ...  In  regard  to 
sympathizing  friends,  I  can  say  I  have  not  felt  the 
want  of  them.  Our  company,"!  think,  are  all  very 
excellent  persons.  They  have  been  to  me  every- 
thing I  could  have  asked.  Instead  of  mourning  over 
neglect,  my  heart  has  oftener  led  me  to  shed  tears  of 
srratitude  over  undeserved  favor  shown  me.  The 
journey  thus  far  has  been  prosperous,  though  there 
has  been  opportunity  for  things  trying,  which  have 
only  been  avoided  by  the  very  great  kindness  of 
our  guides  and  protectors.  Surely  I  have  great  rea- 
son to  speak  of  the  goodness  of  God  in  thus  providing 
for  me.  To  him  I  would  ever  commit  myself,  and 
trust  his  loving  kindness,  and  beg  you,  my  dear 
mother,  to  feel  that  I  have  been  happy  since  I  left 
you.  Could  I  know  that  the  same  cheerfulness  which 
I  have  enjoyed,  has  been  yours,  I  should  feel  that  my 
cup  overflowed  with  blessings." 

The  perils  and  hardships  of  the  sea  were  past,  but 
a  land  journey  of  seven  or  eight  hundred  miles,  by 
no  means  easy  or  safe,  through  unsettled  and  moun- 
tainous regions  infested  with  robbers,  and  furnishing 
but  poor  accommodations  for  travellers,  still  lay 
between  our  missionary  friends  and  their  Persian 
home.  In  making  preparations  for  this,  the  week 
spent  at  Trebizond  was  mostly  occupied.     They  here 


EMBARKATION,   VOYAGE,    ETC.  91 

parted  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bliss.  Under  the  guidance 
of  Dr.  Perkins,  who  was  familiar  with  the  route, 
they  passed  safely  and  pleasantly  to  Erzroom,  and 
thence  to  Oroomiah  in  Persia,  their  destined  home 
and  field  of  labor.  The  next  day  Miss  Fiske  thus  re- 
ports their  arrival  in  a  letter  to  her  family  friends  :  — 

"Oroomiah,  June  15,  1843. 

"  My  DEAR,  DEAR  FjRiENDS  :  —  From  my  chosen 
home  I  am  now  privileged  to  address  you.  The 
kind  and  merciful  Providence  of  other  days  has  con- 
tinued to  watch  over  me  in  all 'my  wanderings,  and  in 
health  and  safety  I  have  reached  this  place.  Letters 
which  I  forwarded  to  you  by  mail  from  Smyrna, 
Constantinople,  and  Trebizond,  you  have  received,  or 
doubtless  will  receive  soon.  By  these  your  anxiety 
for  me  will  be  somewhat  relieved.  Still,  you  will 
have  had  many  thoughts  in  regard  to  me,  as  I  have 
journeyed  by  land  over  these  wild  wastes.  All  these 
anxious  thoughts  I  would,  as  soon  as  possible,  have 
put  away  by  \'our  hearing  of  our  arrival.  For, 
although  nothing  reaches  me,  as  yet,  from  you,  my 
pen  shall  not  be  silent  while  health  continues.  Hav- 
ing made  all  due  preparations,  we  left  Trebizond 
May  15th,  after  a  pleasant  stay  of  one  week  in  the 
family  of  Mr.  Johnston.  The  day  was  quite  rainy  in 
the  morning,  but,  the  afternoon  proving  less  so,  we 
thought  it  desirable  to  leave.  A  part  of  our  boxes, 
the  articles  of  which  we  might  not  need  for  our  im- 
mediate use,  had  gone  before  us.  The  rest,  with  our- 
selves, required  twenty  horses.  Being  all  mounted, 
we  wished  much  that  our  friends  at  home  could  look 
upon   us ;    for  we   thought  could  they  but  see  our 


92  FAITH  WORKIXG   BY   LOVE. 

happiness,  they,  too,  would  enjoy  much.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Bliss,  and  Mr.  Johnston  accompanied  us  about 
five  miles,  when  we  bade  them  farewell. 

"  We  found  our  way  over  the  mountain  passes, 
the  vales,  and  the  plains,  of  Persia  and  Turkey,  not 
a  little  toilsome.  But  we  have  been  blessed  with 
good  health  and  fair  weather ;  and,  under  the  excel- 
lent guidance  of  Mr.  Perkins,  have  probably  per- 
formed the  journey  with  less  fatigue  than  usual.  We 
reached  Erzroom  May  23d,  having  been  nine  days  on 
the  way,  yet  resting  on  the  Sabbath.  Here  we  found 
pleasant  homes  in  the  families  of  Messrs.  Peabody 
and  Jackson,  enjoying  their  society,  and  gaining 
renewed  strength  for  our  further  journey. 

"When  we  left  Erzroom,  May  29th,  we  felt  that 
we  had  really  set  out  on  our  journey,  for  we  had  no 
more  missionary  friends  to  visit,  and  we  expected 
that  our  next  resting-place  would  be  our  final  one  on 
earth.  Mr.  and  ]\Irs.  Peabody,  and  three  Armenian 
friends  accompanied  us  for  a  few  miles  out  of  the 
city,  and  then  again  to  our  loving  friends  we  said 
farewell.  The  journey  before  us  was  now  about  five 
hundred  miles,  and  some  of  it  through  a  very  danger- 
ous portion  of  country,  much  infested  by  Koor- 
dish  robbers.  We  felt  that  our  path  was  insecure  ; 
but,  committing  our  way  to  the  Lord,  we  went 
forward,  and  he  has  kindly  preserved  us.  On  the 
10th  instant,  we  were  met  by  two  Nestorians,  who 
had  come,  knowing  us  to  be  on  the  way.  They 
brought  letters  from  the  difierent  members  of  the 
mission,  which  led  us  to  feel  ourselves  very  near 
them.  The  next  day  we  came  to  Khoy,  which  is 
only  three  days  from  Oroomiah.     Here,  the  bishop. 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  93 

being  exceedingly  anxious  to  reach  home,  with  one 
of  the  Nestorians,  left  us  for  his  own  village,  Gavalan, 
two  days  distant.  Finding  the  weather  becoming 
very  hot,  we  rose  at  one,  Monday  morning,  and 
rode  about  eio^ht  hours.  The  next  mornins^'s  ride 
brought  us  to  Gavalan  at  half-past  seven  o'clock. 
The  news  of  our  approach  had  gone  before  us  to 
Oroomiah,  and  bishops,  priests,  and  deacons  were 
anxious  to  meet  us.  Some,  leaving  Oroomiah  just  at 
night,  rode  until  almost  morning,  to  be  at  Gavalan  in 
season  to  meet  us  still  further  beyond.  But  in  this 
they  were  disappointed,  for  we  had  started  earlier  than 
they  expected.  Seeing  us,  however,  a  little  distance 
from  the  village,  they  sprang  upon  their  horses  and 
with  lightning  speed  advanced  towards  us.  First 
came  Joseph,  a  brother  of  the  bishop,  who  has  been 
educated  by  the  missionaries.  He  leaped  from  his 
horse,  embraced  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins,  kissed  their 
hands,  and  with  tears  of  joy  bade  them  welcome,  and 
also  the  rest  of  us.  Then  came  good  Priest  Abraham, 
with  Moses  and  John,  two  of  the  scholars,  and"  gave  us 
the  same  welcome.  In  their  rather  broken  Enijlish, 
they  said  again  and  again,  'I  very  glad  see  you.' 
Before  we  arrived,  a  ^multitude  on  foot'  had  come  to 
us,  among  whom  was  the  bishop's  father.  As  we 
came  in,  the  hill  that  overlooks  the  village  was 
literally  covered  with  men,  women,  and  children. 
Their  tattered  garments  and  great  lilthiness  showed 
their  extremely  degraded  condition.  Yet  their  will- 
ingness to  hear  inspires  us  with  the  hope  that  some- 
thing may  be  done  to  raise  them  to  the  ranks  of  'free- 
men in  Christ  Jesus.'  When  we  reached  the  dwelling 
of  the   bishop,  we  found  it,  like  those  about  it,  a 


94  FATTH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

miserable  hut  of  mud.  But  he  had  made  all  the  prep- 
aratious  for  us  in  his  power.  We  were  taken  into 
the  best  room  of  the  house,  which  was  entered  by 
much  stooping.  Luncheon  was  soon  brought,  con- 
sisting of  new  baked  bread,  milk,  honey,  butter,  and 
cheese.  The  bread,  which  is  in  thin  cakes,  perhaps 
half  a  yard  long  and  half  that  width,  was  laid  on  the 
waiters ;  then  were  set  two  dishes  of  milk,  with 
wooden  spoons,  with  which  to  help  ourselves  ;  then 
dishes  of  honey  and  butter,  which  we  spread  upon 
our  bread  with  the  help  of  another  piece  of  bread. 
But  it  was  all  very  sweet,  and  we  ate  with  good  relish. 
The  room  was  soon  filled  with  others  who  had  come 
to  welcome  us,  among  whom  were  Mar.  Yusuph, 
(Joseph),  Priest  Yohannan,  and  others  mentioned 
in  Mr.  Perkins'  book. 

"  When  our  tents  came  we  repaired  to  them,  as  they 
were  more  comfortable.  There  a  dinner  was  brought 
us,  served  in  the  same  style  as  our  former  meal.  The 
fatted  lamb  had  been  killed  for  us,  and  all  things 
made  ready.  After  dinner,  Mr.  Stocking,  Dr. 
Wright,  and  Mr.  Breath  arrived.  They  remained 
and  returned  with  us  the  next  day.  At  night  some 
eight  or  ten  more  priests  and  deacons  arrived  to  take 
us  joyfully  by  the  hand.  The  next  morning  (Wed- 
nesday), we  left  about  two  o'clock,  accompanied 
by  all  those  mentioned  above,  and  rode  for  about  five 
hours,  when  we  encamped  for  a  little  time.  Here 
we  were  met  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ilolladay,  Mr.  Mer- 
rick, and  Mr.  Jones,  besides  very  many  natives. 
Others  we  met  on  the  way,  until  our  company 
amounted  to  nearly  fifty.  Three  hours'  ride  brought 
us  to  the  city.     According  to  previous  arrangements 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,    ETC.  95 

we  all  repaired  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Jones.  Here  we 
met  all  the  others.  After  laying  off  our  riding- 
dresses,  and  resting  for  a  little,  it  was  proposed  that 
we  give  thanks  and  sing.  Mr.  Merrick  read  the 
107th  psalm;  we  sung  'How  blessed  are  thy  ser- 
vants, Lord,'  and  then  Mr.  Merrick  led  in  prayer. 
This,  with  the  kind  welcome  given  us,  was  almost 
overcoming,  and  I  wept  tears  of  joy." 

The  following  testimonial  in  regard  to  the  favora- 
ble impressions  which  Miss  Fiske  had  already  made 
upon  her  associates,  together  with  the  reply  which  it 
called  forth,  may  fitly  close  this  chapter:  — 

FROM  REV.  JUSTIN  PERKINS,  D.  D. ,  TO  MISS  MARY  LYON. 

"  Oroomiah,  July  7,  1843. 

"  Dear  Madam  :  —  Having  had  a  very  fair  oppor- 
tunity to  form  an  opinion  of  Miss  Fiske,  —  the  very 
estimable  young  lady  whom  you  so  kindly  interested 
yourself  to  furnish  from  your  seminary  for  our  mis- 
sion,—  I  will  redeem  the  pledge  I  gave  you,  to  com- 
municate my  impressions.  This  I  can  do  in  a  few 
words.  "VVe  have  found  her  all  you  promised,  and 
even  much  more.  I  have  not  yet  observed  a  blemish 
in  her  character,  and  her  excellences  are  very  promi- 
nent, yet  so  happily  blended  as  to  unite  in  a  symmetry 
that  shields  them  from  observation,  until  she  is  known 
by  acquaintance.  You,  doubtless,  appreciate  her 
fully,  as  you  must,  of  course,  well  understand  her 
worth  ;  and  I  state  my  own  impression?,  not  for  your 
information,  but  to  apprise  you  that  we,  too,  have 
learned  something  of  her  rare  merits. 


96  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

"  Miss  Fiske  has  usually  enjoyed  excellent  healtti 
since  we  left  Boston,  and  has  also  been  in  fine  spirits. 
She  has  won  the  hearts  of  all  our  missionary  friends 
on  the  way,  nor  less  the  hearts  of  our  associates 
here.  Mrs.  P.  and  myself  feel  personally  under 
sreat  oblisrations  to  her  for  her  invaluable  assistance 
in  taking  care  of  our  little  girl,  both  on  our  voyage 
and  during  our  journey.  She  at  once  secured  the 
affections  of  the  child  to  such  an  extent  as  to  relieve 
Mrs.  P.  almost  wholly  of  the  charge  of  her,  which,  in 
her  delicate  health,  was  a  greater  aid  than  you  can 
well  conceive.  Miss  Fiske  had  both  the  strength  and 
the  disposition  to  do  most  that  the  child  needed  to 
have  done  for  her,  without  much  inconvenience  to 
herself.  And  so  good  a  traveller  has  she  proved  as 
to  impose  little  care  on  me,  in  addition  to  that  required 
by  the  rest  of  our  travelling  party. 

"She  appears  entirely  contented,  happy,  and  pleased 
with  her  situation  and  circumstances,  and  bids  fair 
to  be  incalculably  useful  in  the  important  sphere  she 
will  fill,  in  promoting  the  interests  of  our  mi^?sion  and 
the  salvation  of  the  Nestorians.  We  feel  under  very 
great  obligations  to  you,  dear  madam,  for  the  deep 
interest  you  took,  and  the  prompt  and  laborious  ef- 
forts you  made,  to  secure  for  us  such  a  helper  as  Miss 
Fiske.  If,  under  her  fostering  care,  a  scion  of  Mt. 
Holyoke  Seminary  shall  gradually  spring  up  on  the 
plains  of  Oroomiah,  to  enlighten  and  bless  benighted 
Persia,  I  know  you  will  feel  yourself  to  be  amply  re- 
warded. May  the  Lord  also  give  you  the  satisfaction 
of  seeing  Miss  Fiske's  mantle  rest  on  scores  of  your 
pupils." 


EMBARKATION,    VOYAGE,   ETC.  97 


MISS  MARY  LYON  TO  REV.  JUSTIN  PERKINS,  D.  D. 

"South  Hadley,  Feb.  6,  1844. 

"Dear  Sir  :  —  Your  kind  letter,  bearing  date  Ju]y 
7th,  I  have  received,  for  which  please  accept  my  cor- 
dial thanks.  Your  testimony  to  Miss  Fiske's  hap- 
piness atid  usefulness  is  very  gratifying.  Her  own 
letters,  too,  are  all  suited  to  make  her  friends  happy 
in  having  given  her  up  for  such  a  work.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  the  leadings  of  Providence  should  be  de- 
cisive to  justify  our  encouraging  an  unmarried  female 
to  go  on  a  foreign  mission.  My  impressions  on  this 
subject  were  strengthened  as  I  saw  Misses  Fiske  and 
Myers  bidding  farewell  to  friends,  and  home,  and  kin- 
dred, and  country.  How  difierent  was  their  situation 
from  that  of  the  rest  of  the  company  !  Every  other 
missionary  had  07ie  intimate  friend,  and  that  one  the 
dearest  friend  on  earth.  But  Miss  Fiske  has  been 
admirably  prepared  by  the  endowments  of  nature,  by 
the  dealings  of  Providence,  and  by  the  influence  of 
grace,  for  just  such  a  sacrifice.  I  rejoice  that  her 
heavenly  Father  has  called  her  to  this  self-denying 
work,  and  that  she  was  not  disobedient  to  the  heav- 
enly voice.  I  rejoice,  too,  that  the  finger  of  Provi- 
dence pointed  her  out  to  go,  rather  than  any  other  one 
about  whom  we  had  conversation.  I  doubt  not  she 
will  find  many  ways  of  doing  good  besides  that  of 
teaching.  As  you  wander  along  together,  a  lonely 
band,  through  this  vale  of  tears,  and  as  you  are  labor- 
ing and  suffering  for  Christ's  sake,  I  doubt  not  that 
Miss  Fiske  will  often  be  able,  in  her  own  quiet  way, 
to  come  to  one  heart  and  another,  as  an  angel  of  mercy 
7 


98  FAITH  WORKING  BT  LOVE. 

and  kindness.  Sometimes  she  may  be  abb  to  give  to 
some  of  her  companions  in  toil  a  cup  of  consolation, 
when  others,  who  would  fain  enjoy  the  privilege,  have 
not  the  time  nor  the  strength  granted  them. 

"  Miss  Fiske  has  been  very  faithful  in  writing  let- 
ters ;  and  I  think  this  is  not  among  the  least  of  the 
ways  given  her  to  serve  the  cause." 


THE   NESTORIAN  MISSION.  99 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

STATE  OF  THE  NESTORIAN  MISSION  IN  1843.  — FIRST  IM- 
PRESSIONS AND  FIRST  LABORS. 

First  Missionaries.  —  Reinforcements. —  Mountain  Nestorians  and  Dr.  Grant. 
—  Residence  at  Seir.  —  Letters. — Study  of  the  Language.  —  Good  News 
from  Holyoke.  — Governor  of  Oroomiah.  —  Call  on  his  Wives.  —  Prepara- 
tions for  the  School.  —  Hymns  Translated.  —  Removes  to  the  City.  —  Girls 
come  to  Read.  — Chamber  upon  the  Wall.  — Sympathy  for  her  Mother. 

Miss  Fiske  was  not  a  pioneer  in  the  missionary 
work  in  Persia.  The  ground  was  already  broken  ; 
others  had  labored,  and  she  felt  it  a  privilege  to  enter 
into  their  labors.  For  nine  years  the  mission  among 
the  Nestorians  had  been  in  successful  operation.  Mr. 
Perkins,  and  Dr.  Grant,  who,  with  their  wives,  were 
the  first  to  enter  the  field,  —  the  former  in  183^,  and 
the  latter  in  1835,  —  had,  from  time  to  time,  been  re- 
inforced by  efficient  co-laborers  :  Rev.  James  L.  Mer- 
rick, in  1835  ;  Rev.  Albert  L.  Holladay  and  wife,  and 
Rev.  William  R.  Stocking  and  wife,  in  1837 ;  Rev. 
Willard  Jones  and  wife,  in  1839  ;  Austin  F.  Wright, 
M.  D.,  and  Edward  Breath  (printer),  in  1840.  Mrs. 
Grant  had,  in  1839,  rested  from  her  labors. 

Much  had  already  been  accomplished  by  this  excel- 
lent band  of  missionary  brethren  and  sisters.  They 
had  met  and  borne  the  peculiar  privations  and  hard- 
ships incident  to  the  occupancy  of  a  new  field.  They 
had  secured  in  a  large  measure  the  favor  of  an  intol- 


iOd  FAITH  WORKING   feY   LOVtJ. 

erant  government,  and  the  confidence  of  a  degraded 
and  oppressed  people.  They  had  laid  broad  and  solid 
foundations  for  the  noble  structure  which  was  destined, 
ere  long  to  rise  in  that  far-ofi"  and  benighted  land. 
True,  the  number  of  hopeful  converts  was,  as  yet, 
small.     No  revival  of  religion  had  been  enjoyed. 

Miss  Fiske  writes  :  "  Soon  after  our  arrival,  one  of 
the  older  members  of  our  circle  remarked  that  he  did 
not  know  of  five  in  the  whole  Nestorian  nation  whom 
he  could  look  upon  as  true  Christians ." 

The  gospel  had  for  some  time  been  statedly  preached 
in  several  of  the  Nestorian  churches.  Some  forty 
schools  had  been  established  in  the  villages  on  the 
plain  of  Oroomiah,  and  a  printing  press  had  been  put 
in  successful  operation. 

No  one  appreciated  more  fully  than  did  Miss  Fiske 
the  great  advantage  of  entering  a  field  already  brought 
so  largely  under  cultivation,  and  of  being  connected 
with  so  large  a  band  of  experienced  fellow-laborers. 

A  part  of  the  Nestoriaus  dwelt  in  the  mountains  of 
Koordistan,  which  look  down  from  the  wGst  on  the 
Province  of  Oroomiah.  These  mountains  were  also 
the  home  of  fierce,  lawless  tribes  of  Koords.  The 
region  was  nominally  under  Turkish  jurisdiction,  al- 
thouo-h  the  Persian  ofovernment  also  laid  claim  to  it. 
The  people,  however,  both  Nestorians  and  Koords, 
were  really  subject  to  neither  power,  and  enjoyed  a 
kind  of  wild  independence.  From  the  founding  of 
the  mission,  Dr.  Grant  had  set  his  heart  upon  doing 
something  for  these  mountain  Nestorians,  and,  by  per- 
severing efibrt,  had  gained  a  foothold  among  them ; 
but  in  1842,  he  was  driven  away  by  a  terrible  war,  in 
which  thousands  of  the  Nestorians  were  cruelly  put  to 


THE   NESTORIAN   MISSION.  101 

death  by  the  Koords,  while  many,  who  escaped  the 
sword,  found  their  way  down  to  the  plain  of  Oroomiah, 
and  were  there  brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
missionaries. 

Two  days  after  her  arrival  at  Oroomiah  Miss  Fiske, 
with  other  members  of  the  mission,  repaired  to  Seir, 
where  she  remained  several  weeks,  resting  from  the 
fatigue  of  the  journey,  acquiring  the  language,  and 
making  herself  familiar  with  the  operations  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  laying  plans  for  entering  upon  her  own  spe- 
cific work  as  teacher.  Her  own  pen  will  best  acquaint 
us  with  the  feelings  and  employments  of  those  first 
weeks  of  missionary  life. 

TO   MISS    MARY    LYON. 

"Seir,  July  5,  1843. 

"Were  I  by  your  side,  I  know  you  would  wish  to 
ask  many  questions  in  reference  to  the  time  that  has 
passed  since  I  saw  you.  And  I  should  love,  as  in 
other  days,  to  tell  you  the  joys  and  sorrows -of  my 
heart.  You  would,  doubtless,  wish  to  know  my  feel- 
ings, as  far  my  experience  goes,  in  regard  to  young 
ladies  going  out  single. 

"  Many  were  ready  to  say  to  us,  on  our  leaving, 
'Your  journey  will  probaljly  be  to  you  more  trying 
than  anything  after  you  reach  your  field.'  The  re- 
verse, how^ever,  will  doubtless  prove  true  in  my  case. 
So  far  from  anything  trying  being  my  lot  on  the  way, 
I  rather  enjoyed  each  day  and  hour.  Nothing  was 
wanting  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Perkins  to  render  our 
jourueyings  and  our  short  stays  pleasant.  And  that 
*  delicate  regard  to  the  comfort  and  feelings  of  the 


102  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

young  ladies,'  so  strictly  enjoined  on  the  other  mem- 
bers of  our  company  by  Dr.  Anderson,  has  surely  been 
heeded 

"Although  my  journey  has  been  thus  pleasant,  I 
can  see  many  ways  in  which  a  young  lady  might  be 
exceedingly  tried.  I  believe,  and  I  am  frank  to  con- 
fess it,  that  my  feelings  five  years  ago  would  have 
been  very  different  from  what  they  have  now  been, 
had  I  passed  through  the  same. 

"O  my  dear  Miss  Lyon,  I  do,  I  am  sure  I  do,  most 
sincerely  thank  you  for  all  those  kind  instructions  you 
have  so  often  given  me,  and  which  I  have  felt  more 
than  ever  before,  during  the  last  months,  to  be  the 
light  of  my  path.  The  feelings  of  missionaries  on 
the  way,  with  whom  I  conversed  on  the  usefulness  of 
single  ladies  in  the  missionary  field,  are  invariably 
the  same.  They  feel  strongly  that  there  are  very 
wide  doors  of  usefulness  at  present  open  to  them,  and 
more,  that  their  labors  are  almost  indispensable  in 
gaining  access  to  the  females  in  many  places.  But 
these  same  good  brethren  feel  not  less  strongly  in 
reference  to  the  qualificationsof  young  ladies  for  such 
a  work.  One  qualification,  in  reference  to  which  Dr. 
Dwight  (whose  judgment,  by  the  way,  I  do  highly 
prize)  spoke  more  strongly,  perhaps,  than  of  au}- 
other,  Avas  a  willingness  to  labor  year  after  year,  when 
little  good  might  seem  to  be  effected.  He  felt  that 
few  were  to  be  found  who  would  not  soon  ask  for  a 
change  of  place  or  circumstances.  And  yet,  he  said, 
could  such  be  found,  none  would  be  more  welcome  to 
our  field,  and  none  could  be  more  useful.  With 
such  views  constantly  brought  before  me  in  regard  to 
the  possibility  of  great  usefulness  in  my  present  sta- 


THE   NESrORL\JS(    MISSION.  103 

tion,  you  will  be  assured  I  feel  not  less  interest  in  the 
work  than  when  I  left  you.  As  I  am  permitted  to 
see  more  and  more  of  the  poor  degraded  females  of 
this  nation,  if  I  know  my  heart,  I  do  feel  a  deeper 
interest  in  them,  and  a  stronger  desire  to  spend  and  be 
spent  for  them."     .     .     •     • 

TO  A  COUSIN . 

"Seib,  July  17,  1843. 

"  My  home  is  in  the  flimily  of  Mr.  Stocking,  and  I 
feel  myself  highly  privileged  in  having  so  good  a 
home.  I  studied  Turkish,  as  a  spoken  language,  on 
the  way,  but  am  nov;  giving  all  ray  energies  to  Syriac. 
The  first  fortnight  after  my  arrival  I  was  not  able  to 
study,  but  am  now  quite  well  and  able  to  study  as 
closely  as  when  in  America.  Reading  from  right  to 
left,  with  new  characters,  was  at  first  somewhat  puz- 
zling. But  its  novelty  has  now  all  passed  away,  and 
I  am  becoming  quite  familiar  with  the  style,  not  to  say 
the  matter.  We  are  reading  the  history  of  Joseph, 
as  translated  from  the  ancient  into  the  modern  Syriac. 
I  can  read  with  tolerable  ease,  and  am  beginning  to 
translate  a  little  ;  also  to  speak  a  little.  I  cannot  tell 
you  the  thrill  of  joy  that  fills  my  soul  at  each  new  ac- 
quisition in  this  language.  Oh,  I  do  long  to  have  its 
shackles  thrown  ufl"  from  me,  and  my  tongue  loosed  ! 
The  hope  that  I  shall,  ere  long,  be  able  to  begin  to 
labor  for  my  poor  Nestorian  sisters  makes  study  a 
pleasure.  I  hope  to  begin  to  labor  in  the  girls'  school 
when  it  opens  in  the  autumn,  with  the  assistance  of  a 
native  teacher.  If  I  can  but  be  instrumental  in  a  small 
deo-ree  in  raising  them  from  their  present  degraded 


104  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

condition,  my  heart  will  be  glad.  Yes,  I  shall  feel 
it  sweeter  here  than  in  my  native  laud,  to  live  and 
labor,  and  from  here  go  to  my  eternal  home." 

TO   A  TEACHER  IN   MT.    HOLYOKE   SEMINARY. 

"  Seib,  July  19,  1843. 

"My  dear,  dear  Miss  M.  :  —  My  pen  cannot  ex- 
press, nor,  were  I  by  your  side,  could  language  ex- 
press, the  feelings  of  my  heart  to-day.  Do  you  ask 
me  why  ?  It  is  not  that  sorrow  fills  my  heart ;  but 
it  is  that  I  may  rejoice  over  new-born  souls  in  Hol- 
yoke.  And  have  you  enjoyed  another  precious  season 
of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Most  High  I 
Oh,  how  1  do  long  to  know  the  particulars  !  But  not 
a  word  from  the  pen  of  any  of  you  has  reached  me 
as  yet.  But  I  do  and  will  believe  you  have  sent  for- 
ward the  glad  tidings  to  cheer  a  sister's  heart  in  this 
land  of  moral  darkness,  and  that  soon  I  may  receive 

them Was  it  when  I  was  on  the  deep 

waters  that  you  were  thus  blessed  ?  Oh,  hfiw  often 
was  I  with  you  in  spirit,  in  my  little  state-room  iu 
the  '  Emma  Isadora.'  In  that,  to  me,  precious  place, 
I  used,  one  by  one,  to  open  those  letters  so  kindly 
prepared  for  me  to  read  on  the  voyage.  There  were 
many  from  those  not  pious.  These  breathed  a  spirit 
peculiarly  interesting  to  me.  There  were  expressions 
of  feeling  which  I  had  never  been  able  to  elicit  in 
conversation.  With  one  exception,  they  contained 
earnest  entreaties  for  remembrance  at  the  throne  of 
grace.  There  were  many  expressions  like  these : 
'When  your  eye  glances  over  these  lines,  on  the  broad 
waters,  will  you  not  offer  one  petition  for  me,  that  I 


THE   NESTOEIAN   MISSION.  105 

may  not  be  lost  forever  ?'  '  Pray  for  me  that  my  pres- 
ent feelings  be  not  lost,  that  I  may  come  to  Jesus 
note'  '  While  you  labor  for  Persia's  daughters,  will 
you  not  sometimes  offer  a  petition  for  your  uncon- 
verted friend  on  Christian  ground  ? '  With  such 
petitions  for  remembrance  before  me,  when  I  came 
near  to  my  Fathers  seat,  surely  I  was  not  wanting  in 
subjects  of  prayer ;  and  I  used  to  try  to  pray  for 
them  day  by  day,  and  could  but  feel  that  there  was 
mercy  very  near  to  some  of  them.  But  I  was  not 
prepared  to  hear,  without  deep  emotion,  that  in  less 
than  two  mouths  from  the  time  I  left  j'ou,  all  but  six 
of  Holyoke's  pupils  were  rejoicing  in  hope.  The 
messenger  came  in  on  Saturday  the  15th  instant;  but 
brought  me  no  letters  from  America.  The  letters  of 
others  contained  no  intelligence  in  regard  to  you,  at 
the  seminary.  Much  as  I  wished  to  hear  from  you, 
I  contented  myself  with  the  thought  that  letters  were 
probably  on  the  way.  I  said  'the  trial  of  not  hear- 
ing from  those  I  love  in  America  may  be  one  to 
which  I  shall  often  be  called  on  missionary  ground, 
and  which,  perhaps,  more  than  most  others,  I  need 
grace  to  bear.'  But  while  thus  soliloquizing  and 
reasoning  with  myself,  I  did  not  think  it  possible 
that  this  very  packet  In-ought  news  to  make  glad  my 
heart.  On  the  Tuesday  following  (yesterday),  we 
were  all  invited  to  John's  wedding.  Accordingly  we 
all  went  down  to  the  city.  Mr.  Merrick's  fiimily  re- 
side there,  and  we  went  into  their  house  until  time 
to  go  to  the  house  of  ceremonies.  While  sitting 
there  I  took  up  some  New  York  Observers  which  the 
last  messenger  had  bro\ight.  I  had  read  but  a  few 
mmutes  when  my  eye  rested  on  a  notice  of  '  a  pre- 


106  FAITH   WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

cious  revival '  in  the  seminary,  in  which  it  was  said, 
'Of  sixty  young  ladies  unconverted,  all  but  six  are 
rejoicing  in  hope.'  Such  intelligence,  so  unexpected 
at  that  time,  relating  to  interests  so  precious,  was  to 
me  overcoming.  I  burst  into  a  flood  of  grateful  tears. 
My  tongue  refused  utterance ;  and  as  kind  sister- 
spirits  around  me  inquired,  'Why  do  you  weep?'  I 
could  only  in  silence  point  to  that  on  which  my  own 
eyes  had  rested.  Oh,  that  this  first  intelligence  from 
you  might  be  but  an  earnest  of  what  I  shall  receive 
while  I  dwell  in  this  strange  land !  I  need  not  tell 
fou  that  in  imagination  I  have  to-day  lived  over  with 
you  the  scenes  of  the  last  months  in  your  peaceful 
home.  I  have  seemed  to  hear  the  inquiry  for  the  way 
of  life  from  those  I  have  loved  so  well.  I  have  heard 
their  song  of  joy  after  having  tasted  redeeming  grace, 
and  have  seen  them  humbly  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus.  And  who  are  those  that  still  refuse  to  sit 
there  ?  Are  they  my  own  dear  lambs  ?  those  of  my 
own  precious  section?  Such  a  revival  has  brought 
my  sister-teachers  a  time  of  deep  interest  tmd  deep 
anxiety.  I  would  have  loved  to  share  it  with  you, 
if  such  had  seemed  our  Father's  will.  Oh,  there  is  a 
sweet  delight  in  pointing  souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God  ! 

"  Seir,  August  9,  1843. 

"  My  dear  Brother  and  Sister,  — .  .  .  .1 
have  written  you  in  regard  to  my  pleasant  situation. 
I  feel  that  my  cup  overflows  with  blessings.  .  .  . 
Seir  is  a  small  village,  the  people  mostly  Nestorians. 
I  love  to  go  out  to  their  mud  huts,  as  attempting 
to  speak  with  them  helps  me  to  speak.  When  they 
see  me  coming,  they  run  to  bring  a  mat  or  something 


THE    NESTORIAN    MISSION.  107 

of  the  kind  for  me  to  sit  on.    I  take  my  seat,  as  sister 
A.  will  remember  I  used  to  love  to  sit  in  childhood. 
Really,  sister,  this  once  considered  sad  defect  of  mine 
comes  now  well  in  use.     When  I  enter  a  house,  in 
scriptural  style,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  usage  of 
this  people,  I  say,  '  Shlama   laJione '  (Peace  be  to 
you),  their   reply  is  '  Shlama  masJiana'  (Be  it  re- 
turned to  you  a  hundred-fold).     Then  follow  many 
expressions   like  these:  'I  am  your  servant.'     'My 
children  are   your   servants,'   etc.     Then   they  will 
cluster  about  me  and  seem  exceedingly  pleased  with 
conversation      You  would  be  amused  to  see  me  sur- 
rounded by  fifteen  or  twenty  Nestorian  women  and 
children,  dressed  in  the   manner  described  in   Mr. 
Perkins'  book,  seeking  to  improve  my  conversational 
powers.     I  do  exceedingly  long   to  have   the   time 
come  when  my  tongue  shall  be  loosed,  and  I  shall  be 
able  to  speak  freely  with  them  on  religious  subjects. 
It  will  be  pleasant  to  gather  a  little  baud  of  these 
poor  females  together,  and  unite  with  them  in  prayer 
and  praise.     I  hope  you  may  long  think  of  Fidelia  as 
o-oingfrom  house  to  house,  or  in  the  school-room  sur- 
rounded by  these  poor  degraded  little  girls.     Yes,  if 
it  is  my  Father's  will,  I  hope  long  to  live  and  labor 
for  Persia's  daughters.    And  will  not  you  rejoice  that 
this  privilege  is  mine?    Oh,  could  you  see  these  poor 
females,  as  they  are,  you  would  be  thankful  that  you 
have  a  sister  to  spare  to  them  !     None  of  them  read, 
and  few  of  them  have  any  correct  ideas  of  eternity, 
or  the  God  to  whom  they  are  accountable.     Their 
days  are  spent  in  those  labors,  which,  in  our  country, 
arc  performed  by  the  other  sex  alone.     To  the  fields 
they  carry  their  little  ones,  as  they  engage  in  their 


108         FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

work.  I  have  seen  the  little  child  of  a  few  mouths 
sitting  in  the  field  by  its  mother,  while  she  was  har- 
vesting grain.  At  night  they  return  to  their  homes, 
milk  their  cows,  prepare  supper  for  their  husbands, 
and  then  eat  alone.  To  eat  with  their  husbands  is 
ine  height  of  indelicacy  in  their  view.  They  marry 
very  young  ;  often  at  the  age  of  eighteen  they  are  the 
mothers  of  two  or  three  children.  To  be  the  mother 
of  sons  is  considered  a  great  blessing,  but  of  daugh- 
ters a  great  misfortune.  Very  many  of  the  children 
die  in  infancy  and  childhood,  owing,  doubtless,  to  the 
climate.  It  is  confidently  believed  by  the  mission- 
aries that  not  one  fourth  part  of  those  born  survive 
the  years  of  childhood." 

"Seir,  August  9,  1843. 

"  Mr  OWN  PRECIOUS  Mother  :  —  I  will  not  ask  if 
you  wish  to  hear  from  Fidelia ;  for  I  will  not  for  a 
moment  believe  that  you  have  forgotten  your  daugh- 
ter. If  other  friends  forget,  I  know  my  own  dear 
mother  will  not.  It  is  to  me  a  trviuo^  thouofht;  that  I 
have  not  for  more  than  five  months  heard  one  word 
from  you.  When  I  think  of  it,  my  feelings  would 
lead  me  with  the  wings  of  a  dove  to  fly  to  your  side. 
Yes,  my  dear  mother,  I  would  love  to  look  upon  you, 
and  more  to  talk  with  you,  and  know  the  inmost  feel- 
ings of  your  soul.  I  have  tried  to  commend  you  to 
a  covenant-keeping  God,  and  I  trust  that  he  has  kept 
you  in  perfect  peace.  Yes,  I  hope  that  you  have 
been  peaceful  and  happy  in  our  separation.  It  is  not 
mine  to  be  by  you,  my  dear  mother,  to  comfort  you, 
but  I  will  try  to  do  it  by  my  pen.  And  perhaps  I 
may  thus  do  as  much  as  if  with  you.     You  will.  I 


THE   NEISTORIAN   MISSION.  109 

(rust,  be  as  happy  in  thinking  of  me,  as  if  I  were  at 
Holyoke.  Yes,  I  trust  you  will  be  ever  able  to  re- 
joice that  you  said  to  me,  'Go,  my  child,  go  to  distant 
Persia.'  Had  a  dear  fiither  lived  to  see  the  day,  me- 
thiuks  his  blessing  would  have  followed  me ;  and 
may  it  not  be  that  now  he  comes  to  my  lonely  spirit 
with  messages  of  love?  I  love  to  feel  it  may  be  so. 
"  I  often  fancy  that  I  hear  you  inquire  with  all  a 
nu;ther's  tenderness  in  regard  to  my  happiness.  Be 
assured  that  I  find  everything  more  pleasant  than  I 
expected.  I  have  a  pleasant  home,  kind  friends  sur- 
round me,  and,  what  is  to  me  more  blessed  than  all 
things  beside,  I  feel  that  a  wide  door  of  usefulness  is 
opened  to  me.  May  I  be  permitted  to  labor  many 
years  for  those  for  whom  I  gave  myself!  I  suffered 
slightly  from  a  bilious  attack  a  few  weeks  after  my 
arrival,  but  I  am  now  as  well  as  ever  I  was  in  Amer- 
ica. I  mention  this,  because  I  promised  always  to 
communicate  every  such  thing  to  you,  that  you  might 
always  be  perfectly  at  rest  in  regard  to  anything  being 
kept  from  you.  You  shall,  my  mother,  know  my  sor- 
rows as  well  as  joys.  My  most  earnest  request  of 
you  is,  that  you  will  remember  me  unceasingly  in 
your  prayers,  that  I  may  labor  untiringly  in  the  cause 
of  my  Master,  until  he  shall  call  me  home.  May 
you  be  long  spared  to  pray  for  your  far-off,  but  hap- 
py daughter.  Accept,  dearest  mother,  once  more 
the  unchanging  love  of  your  own 

"Fidelia." 

lO  MISS   A.   F. 

"  Seib,  Aug,  14,  1843. 

.     "  If  I  know  my  heart,  it  is  my  great  de- 
sire henceforth  to  live  entirely  for  God.     I  am  sur- 


110  FAITH    WORKINa  Br  LOVE. 

rounded  by  an  interesting  field  of  labor,  such  an  one 
as  for  many  years  I  have  desired.  And  never,  from  the 
time  I  first  began  to  love  my  blessed  Saviour,  did  I 
relinquish  the  hope  that  such  a  privilege  was  iu  store 
for  me,  till  my  severe  sickness.  And  since  my  Father 
has  thus  raised  me  from  weakness  and  bodily  infirmi- 
ties to  health ;  and  has,  in  his  own  good  time  and 
way,  opened  the  door  for  me  to  come  to  this  laud  of 
darkness,  ought  not  my  heart  to  overflow  with  thank- 
fulness, and  my  every  power  be  devoted  to  the  cause  of 
Christ  ?  Oh,  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  be  faithful !  "  .  .  . 
"  You  are  aware  that  the  '  powers  that  be '  in  Per- 
sia are  all  Mohammedan.  The  poor  Nestorians  groan 
under  a  yoke  of  bondage.  The  Governor  of  Oroo- 
miah,  Malek  Kassim  Meerza,  is  more  lenient  than 
most  of  the  Eastern  princes.  He  is  a  son  of  the  late 
King  of  Persia,  who,  as  the  sou  says,  had  'a  hundred 
children.'  He  is  particularly  fond  of  Frank  customs, 
so  much  so  that  his  father  used  often  to  call  him  his 
'  little  Frangese.'  He  has  shown  himself  friendly  to 
the  missionaries,  and  has  learned  our  langirage  so  as 
to  be  able  to  communicate  tolerably  well  in  it.  Like 
ethers  in  authority,  he  has  many  enemies.  Through 
their  influence,  he  was  secretly  summoned  by  the  king 
to  appear  before  him  at  Teheran.  A  part  of  his 
harem  he  took  with  him ;  others  are  at  different 
places,  while  three  were  left  in  Oroomiah.  I  think 
he  has,  in  all,  nine  wives.  Those  remaining  iu  the 
city,  he  was  exceedingly  desirous  that  we  should 
visit  during  his  absence.  We  had  purposed  to  do  so 
earlier,  but  did  not  find  it  convenient  until  yesterday. 
In  anticipation  of  our  visit,  we  left  Seir  at  an  early 
hour,  went  to  the  city,  and  took  breakfast  with  Mr. 


THE   NESTORIAN  MISSION.  Ill 

Merrick.  After  breakfast  we  sent  word  to  tho  ladies 
that,  if  ihey  pleased,  we  would  call  on  them.  As  it 
pleased  them  that  we  should  call,  about  ten  o'clock 
we  left  for  the  purpose.  As  their  forms  of  etiquette 
forbid  that  any  of  the  gentlemen  should  accompany 
us,  we  took  some  of  the  Nestorian  boys,  for  we 
might  not  go  alone.  They  remained  at  the  gate 
while  we  were  within.  As  we  advanced  towards  the 
house,  we  perceived  that  our  boy  John,  who  was 
taking  the  lead,  was  conducting  us  into  a  back,  nar- 
row, dirty  vvay.  We  asked  why  he  did  so.  He  re- 
plied, because  the  prince  (referring  to  the  governor 
pro  tern.,  Malek  Monsom  Mecrza)  is  sitting  in  the 
sate,  and  it  is  not  irood  that  vou  should  stand  before 
princes.  Tliesu  arc  thjir  i  l^as  of  femile  propriety. 
Notwithstanding  our  darksoaij  vray,  wc  were  safely 
led  to  the  beautiful  court  of  the  prince's  house.  The 
attendants  of  the  mansion  iislierod  us  into  a  pleasant 
room,  where  wc  met  the  throe  wives  of  the  prince. 
They  bade  us  wulcomo  with  such  a  multitude  of  ex- 
pressions as  in  our  country  would  lead  onelo  'with- 
draw his  foot  from  his  neighbor's  door.'  The  prince 
is  about  forty  years  of  age,  l)ut  these  ladies  are  all 
young ;  the  youngest,  I  think,  not  twenty.  Their 
style  of  dress,  to  eyes  unaccustomed  to  it,  is  not  a 
little  amusing.  Their  under-garment  they  call  a 
shirt.  It  is  made  just  like  a  gentleman's  under-gar- 
ment, except  being  not  more  than  half  the  length. 
These  garments  arc  always  thin ;  perhaps  of  printed 
muslin  oftener  than  anything  else.  They  were  trimmed 
with  coarse  cotton  edging,  such  as  is  two  or  three 
cents  a  yard  in  America ;  the  only  article  of  the  kind 
found  in  the  countrj'.     They  wear  over  this  a  kind  of 


112         FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

quilted  spencer,  which  does  not  come  together  in 
front,  but  leaves  the  under-garment  whollj^  exposed. 
The  spencers  are  mot  by  skirts,  which,  in  this  case, 
were  silk,  —  two  red,  the  other  a  bright  yellow.  They 
are  made  in  the  form  of  drawers,  each  part  having 
seven  breadths.  On  the  head  they  wear  a  pretty 
little  shawl,  pinned  under  the  chin.  Can  you  think 
how  they  would  look  by  this  description? 

"The  room  in  which  we  were  entertained  was  fur- 
nished with  sofas  and  chairs, — things  not  common  in 
this  country.  In  the  walls  were  two  rows  of  re- 
cesses, one  near  the  upper,  and  one  near  the  lower 
floor.  In  the  upper  recesses  were,  perhaps,  a  hun- 
dred decanters  filled  with  perfumery,  etc.  They  were 
beautifully  jirrauged,  and  presented  no  unpleasant 
appearance.  After  sitting  and  conversing  some  little 
time  (some  of  our  number  can  speak  Turkish) ,  one 
of  the  numerous  attendants  brought  in  a  water-pipe 
and  passed  it  to  each  of  us,  inviting  us  to  smoke. 
Of  course  we  had  no  disposition  for '  quaffing.'  It  was 
accordingly  passed  to  the  ' /ia?i?i2fm.s '  themselves  ;  and 
each  in  her  turn  showed  herself  skilful  in  this  branch 
of  business.  The  cup  was  held  for  them  to  drink  by 
their  waiting-maids.  And,  as  time  after  time  it  was 
passed  to  them  during  our  stay,  we  could  but  mourn 
over  such  evidences  of  Eastern  indolence.  As  is 
their  custom,  tea  was  brought  in  before  we  left.  One 
of  the  maids  brought  the  tea-tray,  and  set  it  in  the 
midst,  and  then  poured  the  tea  and  passed  it  to  each 
of  us.  After  taking  a  cup  with  them  we  proposed  to 
leave,  as  we  had  other  calls  in  view ;  but  they  held  us 
by  the  skirts  of  our  garments.  As  a  device  for  de- 
taining us,  thoy  invited  us  to  go  over  their  house, 


THE   NESTORIAN   MISSION.  113 

which  invitation  we  accepted,  nothing  loath.  You 
would  have  been  exceedingly  amused  with  the  ap- 
pearance of  their  best  room,  the  walls  of  which  are 
covered  with  some  twenty  kinds  of  calico.  Not  so  bad 
a  spectacle,  however,  after  all ;  for,  with  its  numerous 
recesses,  and  the  taste  displayed  in  covering  them,  there 
was  a  little  air  of  pleasantness.  When  they  finally 
allowed  us  to  leave  them,  they  used  our  English 
"  good-by  "  with  much  apparent  pleasure.  Nazaloo 
hannum,  the  favorite  wife  of  the  prince,  as  if  to  show 
her  more  perfect  appreciation  of  English  customs,  be- 
stowed a  kiss  on  cither  cheek  of  one  of  our  number. 
As  we  see  their  prejudices  giving  way,  we  hope  and 
pray  that  the  door  may  soon  be  opened  for  doing 
them  much  good  spiritually.  Leaving  the  ladies  of 
the  prince,  we  next  called  on  the  wife  and  daughters 
of  a  Kahn.  Here  we  were  also  detained  for  a  Ions: 
time.  We  walked  in  their  garden  ;  gathered  grapes 
from  the  vine,  and  received  roses  from  the  hands  of 
the  attentive  daughters.  They  insisted  that  we  should 
stay  and  take  fruit,  according  to  their  custom ;  we 
could  not  well  refuse.  There  were  apples,  grapes, 
muskmelons,  and  watermelons.  We  partook,  seated 
on  the  floor,  for  they  had  no  chairs  in  their  house. 
Our  long  stay  made  us  late  to  our  mountain  home ; 
but  we  reached  it  in  safety,  and  I  trust  with  increased 
desires  for  usefulness.  To-day  has  found  me  again 
poring  with  delight  over  my  Syriac." 

TO   A   TEACHER   IN   MT.    HOLYOKE    SEMINiRY. 

"  Seib,  Aug.  15. 

"M}'  thoughts  dwell  on  it"  (her  school)  "by  night 
ind  by  day.     I  inquire,  as  far  as  I  can,  after  what 


114  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

has  been  and  what  may  be  done ;  and  I  hope  I  seek 
heavenly  guidance  in  my  plans.  But  I  may  be  mis- 
taken, and  my  Father  may  see  fit  to  disappoint  me. 
Yet  I  can  but  hope  there  is  something  here  for  me  to 
do ;  that  I  may  help  to  raise  these  poor  females  to 
the  place  which  their  Maker  designed  should  be  theirs. 
Already  I  find  that  I  am  becoming  attached  to  these 
poor  children  much  more  strongly  than  when  in 
America.  I  often  feel  like  fondly  embracing  them  and 
loving  them  as  I  would  children  at  home.  I  strive  to 
prevent  their  extreme  filth  and  degradation  from  sev- 
ering them  from  me.  They  are  bound  to  the  same 
eternity  with  myself.  At  the  judgment-bar  I  shall 
meet  them.  I  would  encircle  them  in  the  arms  of 
love,  and  pray  God  that  he  will  encircle  them  in  the 
arms  of  everlasting  love." 

TO   HER  MOTHER. 

"Seir,  Aug.  16. 

"It  is  an  unspeakable  comfort  to  knovr  that  you 
are  happy  in  my  being  away  from  you.  Perhaps  you 
can  say  with  another  mother,  'My  child,  if  I  could, 
I  would  not  raise  a  finger  to  call  you  home.'  O 
my  dear  mother,  you  will  be  rewarded,  I  know  you 
will,  for  every  sacrifice  you  have  made  for  the  blessed 
Saviour  !  He  will  not  forget  it.  And  should  he,  in 
the  last  great  day,  lead  to  you  one  Nestorian  girl,  or 
one  Nestorian  mother,  'clothed  in  white,'  as  the  result 
of  your  sacrifice,  will  you  not  be  gi'ateful  that  it  was 
yours  to  give  one  cup  of  cold  water  in  the  name  of  a 
disciple  ?  " 


THE   NESTORIAN    :\USSION.  115 


TO   MISS   A.    F. 


**Aug.  22.  — To-day  cliued  with  Mr.  Perkius,  that 
we  might  employ  the  hour  in  conversing  about  the 
girls'  school,  which  we  hope  to  open  in  a  few  weeks. 
I  proposed  to  him  that  we  have  some  hymns  trans- 
lated into  Syriac  for  the  'benate'  (daughters)  of  this 
people  to  sing.  The  proposition  met  his  approval; 
and  in  a  few  hours  a  hymn  was  translated.  Mrs. 
Stoddard  'sung  it  most  beautifully.  The  natives  who 
heard  it  were  exceedingly  delighted.  We  hope  Mrs. 
S.  will  teach  sinijino:  in  the  school." 

"25. — Another  day  is  gone,  and  I  am  alone  in 
my  room.  Was  busily  occupied  this  morning  in  pre- 
paring some  work  for  a  native  woman,  in  reference 
to  the  girls'  school.  It  was  making  some  beds. 
Would  you  like  to  know  the  materials?  They  were 
a  coarse  ticking  of  native  cloth,  filled  with  wool, 
which  is  here  an  article  of  trifling  expense.  Would 
you  not  like  to  help  me  make  beds,  etc.,  for  the 
Syrian  girls?  I  am  sure,  were  you  here,  ySnr  heart 
would  enter  with  sweet  delight  into  the  duties  which 
are  ours  to  perform.  Did  life  ever  look  desirable,  it 
has  been  since  my  arrival  here.  Ere  I  am  aware,  I 
find  my  petitions  going  up  to  Heaven  that  my  life  may 
be  long  spared.  But  I  would  not  be  anxious.  I  am 
but  a  worm  of  the  dust.  My  Father  can  carry  on  a 
work  of  grace  in  benighted  Persia  just  as  well  with- 
out me  as  with  me.  But  I  do  feel  that  it  is  a  blessed 
privilege  to  do  something  for  my  adorable  Redeemer. 
And  it  is  not  long  that  we  can  labor  for  him  on  earth ; 
soon  we  shall  go  to  our  eternal  home.  Oh,  let  us 
try  to  be  faithful,  whether  in  America  or  Persia  I  " 


116  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

"  Seir,  Sept.  12,  1843. 

"  My  own  dear  Miss  W.  :  —  Our  monthly  messen- 
ger is  just  in,  but  brought  me  no  note  or  tidings 
from  you.  I  had  fondly  hoped  to  hear  from  you,  and, 
when  I  was  told  that  there  was  nothing  for  me,  I  could 
not  refrain  from  tears.  They  were  almost  my  first 
tears  beneath  a  Persian  sky.  But  I  soon  wiped  them 
away,  and  said  I  will  not  weep  for  this ;  it  better  be- 
cometh  me  to  weep  for  a  world  lying  in  wickedness. 
.  I  often  regret  that  I  did  no  more,  while 
it  was  in  my  power,  for  the  cause  of  Christ  at  home. 
The  seminary  was  a  precious  field  of  labor.  I  some- 
times think  that,  were  I  again  there,  I  would  strive 
to  do  more  for  the  good  of  those  about  me.  But  I 
know  I  could  not  trust  my  deceitful  heart.  It  is  God 
alone  who  gives  the  heart  and  strength  to  labor  for 
him.  Had  I  been  more  faithful  in  labor  for  souls  at 
home,  I  feel  that  I  should  have  been  better  fitted  for 
my  present  work.  The  same  spirit  that  leads  us  to 
daily  effort  for  the  salvation  of  souls  in  America  is 
greatly  needed  on  missionary  ground."     .     7     . 

Miss  Fiske  left  Seir  with  Mr.  Stocking's  family  Sep- 
tember 14th,  and  took  up  her  abode  in  the  city  of  Oroo- 
miah.  It  Avas  not  deemed  best  immediately  to  open 
the  school,  of  which  she  was  expected  to  have  the 
charge.  Her  imperfect  knowledge  of  the  language 
was  still  a  serious  obstacle  to  direct  missionary  efforts 
in  behalf  of  the  people.  But  she  was  impatient  to  be 
at  work,  and  in  various  ways  began  to  make  herself 
useful  to  those  whose  sad  condition  excited  her  liveli- 
est sympathies.     A  few  extracts  from  her  correspou- 


tSE  NESTORIAN   MISSION.  117 

dence  will  give  us  a  glimpse  of  her  life  during  those 
weeks  of  waiting  :  — 

"Oroomiah,  Sept.  14. 

"Spent  this  morning  in  arranging  my  room.  I  have 
a  pleasant  little  place  in  one  end  of  Mr.  S.'s  house. 
There  are  two  small  windows,  one  on  the  east  and  the 
other  on  the  west  side.  A  door  on  the  north  side 
opens  into  one  of  jVIrs.  S.'s  rooms,  and  one  on  the 
south  opens  towards  the  girls'  school-room,  and  also 
to  the  yard ;  so  I  can  go  out  and  receive  company 
without  disturbinc^  anv  one." 

"17,  Sabbath. — Spent  much  of  the  day  in  read- 
ing with  and  instructing  Isabella,  a  girl  in  Mr.  S.'s 
family.  Mrs.  S.  bus  given  her  wholly  to  my  care. 
She  is  somewhat  wayward  ;  and  I  feel  that  I  need 
much  wisdom  from  above  to  guide  her  aright.  In 
our  female  prayer-meetings  we  have  taken  her  as  a 
subject  of  prayer." 

"18.— A  little  gill,  from  the  girls'  school,  that 
I  had  asked  to  come  and  read  with  me,  came  and 
spent  an  hoar  or  two.  She  siid  the  other  little  girls, 
when  they  s;iw  her  come,  cried  because  they  could 
not  come.  I  told  her  to  say  to  them,  if  they  would 
make  themselves  clean,  they  also  might  come." 

"20. — Yesterday  nine  little  girls  came  and  read 
and  spelt  with  me.  The  funds  of  the  mission  are  not 
such  that  they  deem  it  expedient  for  our  schools  to 
commence  at  present.  In  the  mean  time  I  shall  do 
what  I  can  for  those  about  me,  who  can  come  to  my 
room.  This  is  the  beginning  of  my  school  in  Oroo- 
miah.  I  feel  exceedingly  happj-  in  the  prospect  of 
being  able  to  do  something  for  the  daughters  of  this 
land." 


118  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE.   ^ 

'"  Oct.  2.  — Yesterday  I  went  out  again  to  a  Nesto- 
riau  service  in  the  churcli-yarcl ;  attendance  about  as 
last  Sabbath.  After  the  service,  several  of  the  girls 
came  to  my  room,  and,  with  Isabella's  help,  I  read  to 
them  some  portions  of 'Nathan  Dickcrman'  in  Syriac. 
Perhaps  j^ou  will  wonder  that  I  should  attempt  any- 
thing of  the  kind,  when  my  knowledge  of  the  Uinguage 
is  so  imperfect.     I  hesitated  in  regard  to  doing  it ; 

but,  my  dear  L ,  I  saw  them  going  down  to  the 

dark  world  of  woe,  with  little  instruction  fitted  to 
point  them  to  the  Lamb  of  God.  My  spirit  was 
stirred  within  me,  and  I  said,  cannot  I  do  something? 
With  the  help  of  one  who  can  speak  English,  I  hope 
to  give  them  some  ideas  of  God,  of  their  souls,  and 
of  the  world  to  which  they  haste.  Oh,  pray  for  me, 
—  will  you  not? — that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  bless  my 
efforts." 

"17. — The  schools  all  began  yesterday.  Until 
then  I  had  kept  my  little  class.  I  can  say  nothing  in 
regard  to  the  prospects  of  the  schools  the  present  ses- 
sion ;  but  I  shall  be  able  to  speak  of  them  at  the  end 
of  the  month,  when  I  will  write  some  of  you  again. 

"  When  I  look  at  the  opportunities  for  usefulness 
before  me,  I  often  feel  that  one  of  a  holier  heart,  and 
of  more  entire  consecration  to  the  Lord,  should  be  here 
in  my  place.  Oh,  that  my  heart  might  be  full  of 
the  Saviour's  love  ! 

"The  present  is  a  trying  time  with  us.  The  emis- 
saries of  Rome  have  again  made  their  appearance  here, 
and  are  seeking  to  draw  after  them  this  weak  people. 
A  few  have  actually  gone  with  them,  bribed  by  gold, 
which  they  love  more  than  their  souls.  We  feel  that 
we  are  called  to  renewed  watchfulness  and  faithful- 


THE   NESTORIAN   MISSION.  119 

ness.  May  the  trial  through  which  we  are  passing 
do  us  much  good,  making  us  so  humble  and  faithful 
that  it  will  be  consistent  for  our  God  to  bless  our 
labors." 

During  these  first  months  of  her  missionary  life, 
Miss  Fiske  not  only  felt  most  keenly  her  separation 
from  the  home  friends,  whom  she  ardently  loved, 
but  found  her  heart  constantly  going  out  in  tenderest 
sympathy  to  that  widowed  mother,  who,  in  giving 
her  up,  had  been  called  to  so  great  a  sacrifice.  Re- 
ferring, in  after  years,  to  the  deep  solicitude  she  then 
felt  for  her  mother,  she  says,  "I  think  I  can  see  now 
that  those  remembrances  of  and  anxieties  for  my 
mother  were  peculiarly  chastening.  My  heart  would 
not  thus  have  clung  to  my  work  had  it  not  been 
riveted  to  it  by  a  mother's  sacrifice.  Those  dear 
Nestorian  girls  were  all  the  more  precious  in  my 
eyes,  because  they  had  taken  me  from  my  mother." 


120  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OCTOBER,    1843,       TO   JUNE,    1844. 

The  Female  Seminary.  —  Condition  of  Nestorian  Women.  —  Houses  and 
Beds. — Lying,  Profanity,  Ignorance.  —  Mrs.  Grant's  School.  —  A  Board- 
ing-school Desired;  Appropriation  for  one.  — School  Opened.  —  First  Pu- 
pils. —  School-room  —  Duties  of  Teacher.  —  Sis  black  Pins.  —  First 
Convert  among  the  Women. — AValks  with  Pupil.-s. — Sabbath  School. — 
Meeting  for  Women.  —  First  Bible  Lessons.  —  Visits  to  Villages.  —  Sym- 
pathy for  the  Sick. 

So  closely  was  the  missionary  life  of  Miss  Fiske 
identified  with  the  female  seminary  at  Oroomiah.  that 
it  becomes  necessary,  at  this  point,  to  glance  at  the 
\)rigin,  character,  and  early  history  of  that  institntion. 
But,  in  order  to  appreciate  the  work  accomplished  by 
it,  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  Nestorian  women, 
at  the  time  the  mission  was  established,  mu.'Sl  be  con- 
sidered. 

It  is  a  sadly  significant  fact,  that  the  language  of 
the  Nestorians  contained  no  words  corresponding  to 
home  and  w^ife,  the  nearest  approach  to  them  being 
house  and  woman. 

"The  Nestorian  house,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "was 
formerly  a  single  large  room,  and  there  the  work  of 
the  family  was  mostly  performed.  There  they  ate, 
and  there  they  slept.  Several  generations  occupied 
the  same,  each  son  as  he  married  bringing  his  wife  to 
his  father's  house.  Their  beds  are  much  like  a  good 
comfortable  filled  with  wool,  or  more  frequently  with 


FEMALE  SEMINARY  AT  OROOMIAH.      121 

cotton ;  a  heavy  quilt  and  a  pillow  completed  a  set 
of  bedding.  They  took  up  their  beds  in  the  morn- 
ing, piling  them  upon  a  wooden  frame,  spreading 
them  aijain  at  nisfht.  It  was  customary  at  nififht  to 
lay  aside  all  the  clothing  of  the  day,  and  to  take 
nothing  in  its  place.  The  house  was  lighted  by  an 
opening  in  the  roof,  and  the  smoke  went  out  at  the 
same  place.  It  had  only  a  floor  of  earth,  covered  in 
part  with  mats  and  pieces  of  carpeting.  There  was 
hardly  a  possibility  of  cleanliness.  Vermin  abounded 
in  most  of  the  houses.  The  inmates  were  covered, 
not  only  with  fleas,  but  often  with  lice,  which  were 
found  not  only  on  the  head,  but  on  the  entire  body." 

The  women  were  regarded  by  the  men  as  drudges 
and  slaves,  and  were  compelled  to  spend  most  of  the 
time  in  out-door  labor,  among  the  vineyards  and 
wheat-tields,  often  going  forth  to  their  work  car- 
rying not  only  their  heavy  implements,  but  also  their 
infants  in  the  cradle.  When,  at  evening,  they  re- 
turned from  the  field,  however  weary,  they  must 
milk  the  cows,  prepare  their  husbands'  supper,  and 
wait  till  they  had  finished  their  meal,  before  partak- 
ing themselves. 

For  husbands  to  beat  their  wives  often  and  sevc'-'- 
ly  was  a  well-nigh  universal  practice  ;  and,  of  coursv 
wives  rendered  to  their  husbands  anything  but  affec- 
tion and  reverence,  and  were  little  disposed  to  meet 
even  their  reasonable  requirements.  "They  would 
come  to  me,'' says  jVIiss  Fiske,  "and  tell  me  their 
grievances,  and  would  fall  down  at  my  feet.,  begging 
me  to  deliver  them  from  their  husbands.  \''"'*^^-v 
would  say,  with  many  tears,  'Have  mercy  on  us;  if 
you  do  not  help  us,  we  must  kill  ourselves.'     I  had 


122  FAITH    WORKING   BY    LOVE. 

no  fear  of  their  doing  that,  and  would  seat  them  by 
my  side,  and  tell  them  of  my  own  dear  father ;  how 
good  he  was  ;  but  that  he  was  always  obeyed.  They 
said,  *  We  could  obey  a  good  man.'  I  replied,  '  I  am 
very  sure  you  would  not  have  been  willing  to  obey 
my  father.' " 

There  was,  of  course,  an  absence  of  all  those  deli- 
cate and  thoughtful  attentions  which  are  so  much 
needed  in  seasons  of  sickness  and  sufterins:. 

"Mr.  Perkins,"  continues  Miss  Fiske,  "tells  us  of 
a  visit  to  a  family  in  Kowry,  where  the  principal 
room  was  given  up  to  the  guests,  and  in  the  morning 
he  found  that  a  little  son  had  been  added  to  the  fam- 
ily,—  born  in  the  stable.  He  supposed  that  he  and 
his  family  had  taken  the  place  designed  for  the 
mother.  But  it  was  not  so.  Nearly  all  the  Nes- 
torian  children  begin  their  life  in  a  stable.  The 
mother  almost  invariably  resorts  to  that  place  to 
meet  her  hour  of  sorrow ;  and  there  she  often  meets 
death." 

Lying  was  almost  universal  among  both  men  and 
women.  "We  all  lie,"  was  their  frequent,  self-justi- 
fying plea  when  reproved  for  the  practice. 

Women  and  children,  as  well  as  men,  were  shock- 
.iigly  profane.  Speaking  of  her  early  pupils,  Miss 
Fiske  says  :  "  My  little  girls  would  swear  and  use  the 
vilest  language.  It  needed  but  a  slight  provocation 
to  lead  them  to  call  each  other 'buflaloes,' or  '  don- 
keys ; '  and  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  for  one  of  them 
to  call  out  to  a  companion,  'You  are  a  Satan.'  'Why, 
f*"  ^  ou  think  the  people  will  believe  me,'  said  one, 
when  reproved  for  her  profanity,  'if  I  do  not  use  the 
name  of  God  very  often  ?  ' " 


FEMALE  SEMINARY  AT  OROOMIAH.       123 

The  womeu,  in  their  deep  degradation,  were  natu- 
rally coarse,  passionate,  and  quarrelsome.  "When 
you  see  a  whole  village  of  women  engaged  in  a  quar- 
rel, their  hair  all  loose  and  flying  in  the  wind,  while 
they  are  throwing  stones,  brickbats,  and  spoiled  eggs 
at  each  other,  with  almost  unearthly  shrieks,  you 
say,  and  justly,  other  women  than  these  were  'last 
at  the  cross,  and  first  at  the  sepulchre.'  But  those 
may  once  have  been  like  tJiese." 

When  the  missionaries  went  to  Persia,  there  was 
but  a  sinsfle  Nestorian  female  who  could  read.  She 
was  Helena,  tlie  sister  of  the  Patriarch,  whose  supe- 
rior rank  secured  her  this  accomplishment.  The 
others  were  not  only  ignorant,  but  entirely  content 
to  remain  so.  When  asked  if  they  would  not  like  to 
learn  to  read,  they  would  reply,  with  a  significant 
shrug,  "  I  am  a  woman,"  —  "I  am  a  girl,"  —  "Do  you 
want  to  make  a  priest  of  me  ?  "  The  prejudices  of 
the  mothers  against  the  education  of  their  daughters 
were  stronijer  than  those  of  the  fathers. 

It  was  among  such  "  fallen  sisters  "  that  Miss  Fiske 
went  to  labor  as  a  missionary  teacher.  To  their  eleva- 
tion, mainly  through  the  instrumentality  of  a  Chris- 
tian school,  she  cheerfully  consecrated  her  life. 
Speaking  of  their  condition,  she  says  :  "I  felt  deeply 
for  my  poor  sisters  before  going  to  them  ;  but  there 
was  a  deeper  feeling,  even  anguish,  when  I  realized, 
from  mingling  with  them,  how  very  low  they  were. 
I  really  knew  at  first  very  little  of  the  pit  into  which 
I  was  descending.  I  did  not  wish  to  leave  them,  but 
I  did  often  ask,  '  Can  the  Saviour's  image  ever  be 
reflected  from  such  hearts  ? ' " 

In  1836,   the   first  three  missionary  schools  were 


124  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

opened  for  Nestorian  children  in  the  villages  Ada, 
Geog  Tapa,  and  Ardishai.  The  number  both  of 
schools  and  scholars  rapidly  increased.  But  very 
few  of  the  girls  could  be  induced  to  attend ;  and  it 
soon  became  evident  that  they  could  be  reached  only 
by  the  establishment  of  a  school  exclusively  for  them. 
In  the  way  of  such  a  measure  were  formidable  obsta- 
cles. These,  however,  were  at  length,  so  far  over- 
come, through  the  indefatigable  zeal  of  that  rare 
missionary,  Mrs.  Grant,  that,  on  the  12th  of  March, 
1838,  a  school  was  opened  by  her  with  four  little 
ofirls.  The  number  was  soon  doubled,  and  then 
quadrupled.  This  was,  in  some  sense,  the  nucleus 
of  the  female  seminary,  which  has  done  so  much  for 
the  social,  intellectual,  and  spiritual  improvement  of 
woman  in  Persia. 

After  the  death  of  Mrs.  Grant,  in  January,  1839, 
the  school  was  continued  by  the  help  of  native 
teachers,  under  the  care,  first,  of  Mr.  Holladay,  and 
then  of  Dr.  Wright;  the  ladies  of  the  mission  render- 
ing such  assistance  as  they  could.  "Although,"  says 
Dr.  Perkins,  "  the  girls  learned  well,  considering 
their  opportunities,  they  still  did  not  make  very  rapid 
progress  for  five  years."  During  those  five  j^ears  it 
was  simply  a  day  school,  the  pupils  boarding  at  home, 
and  spending  only  a  few  hours  daily  with  their  teachers 
in  the  school-room.  The  disadvantages  of  this  ar- 
rangement were  obvious  and  manifold.  Compara- 
tively little  could  be  done,  especially  for  the  moral 
improvement  of  the  girls  who  were  still,  more  than 
half  the  time,  breathing  the  tainted  atmosphere  in 
which  they  had  been  nurtured.  Miss  Fiske,  from  the 
first,  was  exceedingly  desirous  of  changing  the  char* 


FEM-\LE    SEMINARY   AT   OROOMI.^H.  125 

acter  of  the  school,  making  it  a  boarding,  or  family 
school,  in  which  the  pupils  might  remain  several 
years,  and  be  under  the  continuous  and  exclusive  care 
and  training  of  the  teachers.  The  very  idea  of  such 
a  school  was  so  repugnant  to  all  the  hereditary  views 
of  social  propriety  among  the  Nestorians,  as  to  seem 
almost  chimerical.  And  when  it  was  proposed  to 
make  an  effort  to  secure  six  pupils,  with  whom  to  start 
a  school  upon  this  basis,  even  those  of  the  mission 
most  interested  in  the  project  doubted  its  success. 
Says  Miss  Fiske,  writing  ten  years  afterwards, 
"  While  every  member  of  the  mission  approved  of 
an  attempt  to  do  something  for  females  in  this  way, 
several  were  so  frank  as  to  say  that  they  did  not  be- 
lieve that  six  i^irls  could  be  obtained  for  a  single 
year,  and  that  not  one  would  remain  with  us  for  two 
or  three  years.  They  were  almost  certain  of  this,  be- 
cause they  were  familiar  with  the  true  state  of  society 
here.  At  that  time  scarcely  a  girl  could  be  found 
more  than  twelve  years  of  age  who  was  not  betrothed  ; 
and  several  years  previous  to  that  age  were  "usually 
spent  in  making  a  rude  kind  of  embroiderj^  a  certain 
amount  of  which  must  be  ready  for  the  wedding-day. 
While  the  male  seminary  numbered  its  hundreds, 
priests,  deacons,  fathers  and  sons,  not  one  could  be 
found  among  them  willing  to  give  up  his  little  girl  to 
be  taught  by  us  for  a  few  years.  They  feared  that, 
by  so  doing,  their  daughters  would  lose  some  favora- 
ble opportunity  for  marriage  ;  and,  more  than  all,  as 
girls  could  be  neither  priests  nor  deacons,  they  could 
see  no  reason  why  they  should  spend  many  months 
in  study.  These  parents  were  also  apprehensive  that 
if  their  daughters  remained  long  with  us  they  would 


126  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

not  be  able  to  carry  so  heavy  burdens  in  the  fields, 
nor  to  wield  the  spade  so  successfully  as  their  com- 
panions who  had  never  learned  to  read.  Even  Priest 
Abraham,  who  was  then,  perhaps,  our  most  intelli- 
gent helper,  and  who  has  for  years  done  more  for 
female  improve'ment  than  almost  any  other  native, 
said  to  us,  with  strong  feeling,  "  I  cannot  bear  the 
reproach  of  having  my  daughter  with  you  as  a 
boarder." 

But,  notwithstanding  these  misgivings  on  the  part 
of  some  members  of  the  mission,  to  the  great  joy  of 
Miss  Fiske,  the  measure  was  approved,  and  an  ap- 
propriation was  made  for  the  support  of  six  boarding 
pupils,  if  they  could  be  obtained. 

To  secure  these  six  girls  was  now  an  object  of  deep 
solicitude  with  her.  She  writes:  "The  first  Syriac 
word  I  learned  was  'daughter,'  and  as  I  can  now  use 
the  verb  '  to  give,'  I  often  ask  parents  to  give  me  their 
daughters.  Some  think  that  I  cannot  secure  boarding 
scholars,  but  Mrs.  Grant  secured  day  scholars ;  and 
when  I  hear  men,  women,  and  children  say^'  How  she 
loved  us  ! '  I  want  to  love  them  too.  I  mean  to  de- 
vote at  least  five  years  to  the  work  of  trying  to  gather 
girls  into  a  boarding  school,  as  Mrs.  Grant  desired 
to  do.  She  has  gone  to  her  rest.  I  wonder  that  I 
am  allowed  to  take  her  place."  She  was  cordially 
seconded  in  her  efibrts  by  others,  especially  by  Mar. 
Yohanan,  who  said  to  her,  "  You  get  ready,  and  I  find 
girls."  But  when  the  day  fixed  for  opening  the 
school  (Oct.  16th)  came,  it  was  notknowni  that  a  sin- 
gle boarding  pupil  had  been  secured.  About  fifteen 
day  scholars  appeared,  and  Miss  Fiske  was  beginning 
to  fear  that  she  would  be  disappointed  in  regard  to 


FEMALE    SEMINARY    AT    OUOOMIAH.  127 

the  plan  on  which  she  had  set  her  heart,  when  from 
her  window  she  saw  Mar.  Yohanan  in  the  court  ap- 
proaching, leading  two  little  girls ;  one,  his  own 
niece,  Selby,  of  Gavalau,  seven  years  old,  and  the 
other,  Khanee,  of  Geog  Tapa,  ten  3'ears  old.  Miss 
Fiske  hastened  to  meet  them  at  the  door,  and,  describ- 
ing the  scene,  she  says:  "I  wept  tears  of  joy  over 
those  first  two  brous^ht  to  me.  Their  little  hands 
were  placed  in  mine  as  the  bishop  said  to  me,  'They 
are  your  daughters  ;  no  man  shall  take  them  from 
your  hand.'  I  shall  be  glad  to  give  them  to  the  Lord 
Jesus ;  and  love  to  think  of  them  as  the  beginning 
of  my  dear  school.  Mar.  Yohanan  said,  '  Now  you 
begin  Mount  Holy  Oke  in  Persia.' " 

A  beginning  was  thus  made,  and,  though  humble, 
was  deemed  the  pledge  of  success.  Could  the  num- 
ber be  increased?  "  Many  of  our  future  attempts  to 
secure  puj^ils,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  "  proved  fruitless. 
Several  who  came  to  us,  after  remaining  a  few  days, 
either  ran  away  or  were  carried  away  by  their  friends. 
There  were  many  poor,  destitute  girls,  wantijog  only 
bread,  who  applied  for  admission,  but  were  refused, 
as  not  being  desirable  pupils. 

"Notwithstanding  all  the  difficulties  we  had  to  en- 
counter, before  spring  we  had  secured  the  desired 
number  of  boarders.  Yet  so  strong  were  the  feel- 
ings of  the  friends  in  regard  to  them,  that  they  would 
allow  them  to  remain  with  us  only  on  condition  that 
they  should  lodge  in  the  room  with  or  near  their 
teacher,  and  never  go  out  except  in  her  company. 
These  requests  were  complied  with,  and  those  six 
little  girls  were  as  much  the  companions  of  their 
teacher  as  ever  the  child  is  of  the  mother. " 


J^28  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

Of  her  school-rooms,  Miss  Fiske  thus  writes  :  "  We 
have  two  rooms  for  the  school  and  the  boarders.  The 
one  occupied  by  the  school  is  rather  small,  but  an- 
swers very  well  for  the  accommodation  of  its  thirty  and 
three  occupants.  Its  mud  floor  is  covered  with  straw 
mats,  which  render  it  comfortable.  There  is  one  win- 
dow, of  oiled  paper,  which  admits  far  more  light  than 
I  supposed  a  paper  window  could.  A  stove,  built 
of  brick,  and  a  few  rude  benches,  are  the  only 
furniture  in  the  room  ;  but,  enlivened  as  it  is  by  bright 
and  smiling  faces,  it  becomes  to  me  a  pleasant  place 
indeed.  The  other  room  is  much  larger  than  this, 
and  is  separated  from  it  by  a  small  entry.  This  is 
the  kitchen,  dormitory,  and  parlor  of  my  little  ones. 
There  are  two  windows,  of  native  glass,  which  admit 
the  light,  but  give  no  view  of  the  yard.  The  floor  is 
covered  like  the  other  room,  with  the  addition  of  a 
thick  woollen  mat  upon  which  to  spread  the  girls' 

bed." 

Instruction  was  by  no  means  the  only  nor  chief 
duty  imposed  upon  the  teacher.  Attention  must  first 
be  given  to  the  personal  cleanliness  of  her  pupils. 
'Itls  no  pleasant  work,"  she  says,  "to  do  for  these 
children  wheu  they  first  come  to  us.  You  can  have 
•little  idea  of  the  filth  and  degradation  from  which  we 
take  them.  We  nmst  first  try  to  make  them  outwardly 
clean  ;  and  we  are  glad  to  do  this,  asking  Jesus  to  give 
them  a  new  heart." 

T«  correct  the  prevalent  habit  of  lying  and  stealing 
amono-  her  pupils  was  no  easy  task.  Nothing  was 
safe  except  under  lock  and  key.  "  Miss  Fiske  could 
not  keep  a  pin  in  her  pin-cushion ;  little  fingers  took 
them  as  often  as  she  turned  away,  and  lest  she  should 


FEMALE    SEMINARY    AT    OROOMIAH.  129 

tempt  them  to  lie  she  avoided  questioning  them,  un- 
less her  own  eye  had  seen  the  theft.  No  wonder  she 
wrote,  '  I  feel  very  weak,  and  were  it  not  that  Christ 
has  loved  these  souls,  I  should  be  discouraged  ;  but  he 
has  loved  them,  and  he  loves  them  still.'  If  the  pins 
were  found  with  the  pupils,  the  answer  was  ready, 
'We  found  them,'  or,  'You  gave  them  to  us,'  and 
nothing  could  be  proved.  But  one  summer  evening, 
just  before  the  pupils  were  to  pass  through  her  room 
to  their  beds  on  the  flat  roof,  knowing  that  none  ol 
that  color  could  be  obtained  elsewhere,  the  teacher 
put  six  black  pins  in  her  cushion,  and  stepped  out 
till  they  had  passed.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone  she 
found  that  the  pins,  too,  were  gone,  and  at  once  called 
the  girls  back.  She  told  them  of  her  loss  ;  but  none 
knew  anything  about  it.  She  showed  them  that  no  one 
else  had  been  there,  and  therefore  they  must  know. 
Six  pairs  of  little  hands  were  lifted  up  as  they  said, 
'  God  knows  that  we  have  not  got  them  ;'  but  this  only 
called  forth  the  reply,  '  I  think  that  God  knows  you 
have  got  them  ; '  and  she  searched  each  one  carefully, 
without  finding  them.  She  then  proposed  to  kneel 
down  where  they  stood,  and  ask  God  to  show  where 
they  were,  adding,  '  He  may  not  see  it  best  to  show  me 
now,  but  he  will  do  it  some  time.'  She  laid  the  matter 
before  the  Lord,  and,  just  as  they  rose  from  their 
knees,  remembered  that  she  had  not  examined  their 
cloth  caps.  She  now  proposed  to  examine  them,  and 
one  pair  of  hands  went  right  up  to  her  cap.  Of  course 
she  was  searched  first,  and  there  were  the  six  pins,  so 
nicely  concealed  in  its  folds  that  nothing  was  visible 
but  their  heads.  This  incident  did  much  good.  The 
pupils  looked  on  the  discovery  as  an  answer  to  prayer, 
9 


IdO  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

and  so  did  their  teacher.  They  began  to  be  afraid  to 
steal,  when  God  so  exposed  their  thefts,  and  she  was 
thankful  for  an  answer  so  immediate.  The  offender 
is  now  a  pious  and  useful  woman.*  " 

Miss  Fiske  was  obliged  to  provide  their  food  and 
beds.  "I  am,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  house- 
keeper as  well  as  teacher.  I  purchase  all  their  food  ; 
keep  the  bill  of  their  expenses ;  attend  to  their  wash- 
ing, and,  in  short,  all  that  pertains  to  their  living. 
They  spread  their  beds  on  the  floor,  as  is  the  custom 
of  their  people,  and  we  have  not  thought  it  best  that 
they  should  change  in  this  respect,  for  our  object  is  not 
to  have  them  conform  to  our  customs  entirely,  but  to 
give  to  them  those  habits  of  neatness  and  industry 
which  will  fit  them  for  usefulness  among  their  own 
people.  They  eat  with  their  hands,  as  knives  and 
forks  cannot  be  obtained  in  this  country,  and  we  have 
no  reason  to  suppose  they  will  ever  have  them  after 
leaving  us. 

"Their  clothing  also  must  be  provided,  for  they  are 
all  ragged  as  well  as  filthy.  Our  children  come  to  us 
with  only  what  they  have  on.  Our  first  business  is  to 
make  them  clothes,  that  they  may  be  comfortable. 
These  we  make  wholly  in  the  native  style.  The  care  of 
this  made  me  very  busy  the  first  few  days  of  school. 
They  must  be  cared  for  not  less  when  out  of  school 
than  when  in.  When  I  go  out  and  when  I  come  in 
I  take  these  children  with  me,  for  I  dare  not  leave 
them  to  themselves.  Oh,  they  are  a  precious  charge  ! 
I  do  desire  to  be  fiiithful  to  them  as  well  as  to  my 
whole  school.     I  am  assisted  by  a   native   teacher, 

♦  "  Woman  and  her  Saviour  in  Persia,"  pp.  22,  23. 


FEMALE    SEMINARY    AT   OEOOMIAH.  131 

who  is  perhaps  as  faithful  to  his  trust  as  any  Nes- 
torian."  This  native  teacher  heard  the  children  read ; 
and  to  acquire  greater  facility  in  the  use  of  the  lan- 
guage, Miss  Fiske  used  to  take  her  place  in  the  classes 
and  read  in  turn  with  them.  A  portion  of  her  time 
was  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  scriptural  questions 
in  Syriac.  The  Bible,  not  only  from  choice,  but  from 
necessity,  was  made  the  principal-text  book  in  the 
school.  Notwithstanding  all  that  was  peculiarly  try- 
ing in  the  charge  of  such  pupils,  she  felt  an  affec- 
tionate interest  in  them,  which  deepened  daily.  ''  I 
find  my  heart  going  forth  to  them,"  she  writes,  "the 
same  as  towards  children  at  home.  Yes,  I  can  and  do 
love  them  as  well  as  ever  I  loved  children ;  and  if  I 
can  lead  them  in  the  way  to  heaven  I  shall  feel  that 
my  joy  is  full." 

In  addition  to  her  school  duties  and  the  care  of  her 
little  family,  she  found  time  to  go  out  almost  daily, 
and  call  upon  the  Nestorian  women  in  the  city,  and 
try  to  cause  some  ray  of  heavenly  light  to  penetrate 
their  darkened  minds.  She  was  thus  very  busy,  and 
very  happy  in  her  work,  except  as  her  heart  was 
burdened  with  anxiety  for  the  salvation  of  those  by 
whom  she  was  surrounded.  She  felt  most  deeply  the 
need  of  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to 
give  success  to  her  own  labors  and  those  of  her  asso- 
ciates ;  and  her  mind  was  ever  watchful  for  the  first 
indications  of  his  presence.  She  writes,  "I  think 
I  have  seen  an  increasing  spirit  of  supplication 
among  the  members  of  the  mission  since  our  arrival ; 
and  knowing  that  fervent  prayer  is  all  powerful  with 
God,  I  can  but  hope  that  spiritual  blessings  will  de- 
scend in  rich  abundance  ;  and  I  seem  to  feel  that  even 


132  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

now  the  Spirit's  gentle  influences  are  in  the  midst  of  us. 
But,  oh,  the  work  of  laboring  for  souls  is  emphati- 
cally a  work  of  fiiith  and  prayer !  I  used  to  think 
that  I  felt  this  in  America  ;  but  I  was  never  so  over- 
whelmed with  the  feeling  as  since  I  have  been  here. 
A  door  of  usefulness  is  opened  to  me  here  ;  but  I  often 
feel  that  I  can  only  pray." 

A  few  days  later,  Dec.  7,  she  thus  wrote:  "On 
Sabbath  afternoon,  as  the  children  were  in  my  room, 
Moressa  said,  'May  we  not  have  a  little  prayer-meet- 
ing?' I  said  to  her,  'Yes,  all  of  you  who  wish  to 
pray,  can.'  We  knelt,  and  Isabella,  Yonan,  and 
Moressa,  all  led  in  prayer.  While  we  were  gone  to 
the  monthly  concert,  ]Monday  evening,  we  found  that 
the  children  observed  a  season  of  prayer  together. 
They  seem  to  be  feeling  more  tenderly  than  at  any 
time  since  I  have  been  here.  I  feel  that  the  gentle 
Spirit  is  coming  very  near  us,  showing  his  willing- 
uess  to  bless.  Oh,  for  more  of  the  spirit  of  prayer 
and  of  devotion  to  the  Lord's  work  !  I  have  often 
thought,  of  late,  that,  if  God  should  come  to  bless  us, 
we  should  hardly  believe  our  own  eyes  when  we 
should  see  him  passing  before  us." 

The  close  of  the  year  was  at  hand.  Miss  Fiske 
became  extremely  anxious  that  the  new  year  —  her 
first  new  year  on  missionary  ground  —  might  open 
with  some  tokens  of  the  Spirit's  special  presence.  She 
recalled,  with  lively  interest,  those  "  most  precious 
seasons  "  of  prayer,  v/hich  she  had  enjoyed  at  her 
"dear  Holyoke,"  on  the  first  Monday  of  the  j^ear. 
She  remembered  how,  on  the  last  of  those  seasons, 
Miso  Lyon  had  said,  "Perhaps  next  new-year's  (""ay 
will  find  some  of  you  on  a  foreign  shore.     If  so, 


I'EMALE    SEMINARY   AT   OROOMIAH.  133 

WO  pledge  you  a  remembrance  within  these  conse- 
crated walls."  It  was  sweet  to  think  that  she  with 
her  charge,  and  the  mission,  would  be  particularly 
remembered  in  prayer  by  many  dear  friends  in  her 
native  land.  She  felt  it  reasonable  to  expect  bless- 
ings ill  answer  to  their  prayers ;  and  thus  writes. 
Dec.  30th,  to  an  associate  at  Seir  :  — 

"  There  are  seasons  when  it  becomes  us  to  watch 
most  diligently  for  the  tokens  of  a  Saviour's  pres- 
ence. And  is  not  the  first  Monday  of  the  year,  and 
the  days  following  it,  a  time  when  we  should  expect 
a  blessing?  Will  not  our  God  hear  the  prayers  that 
shall  ascend  from  a  multitude  of  Christian  souls  in 
our  beloved  land  ?  If  he  does  not,  must  we  not  feel 
that  we  are  hindering  the  mercy-drops  all  ready  to 
fall  ?  Oh,  what  a  solemn  thought !  —  hindering  those 
very  souls  from  going  to  heaven,  for  whom  we  profess 
to  have  left  the  precious  privileges  of  our  loved  native 
land  !  O  my  sister,  may  we  be  enabled  to  lay  aside 
everything  wrong,  and  seek  unto  God  with  all  our 
heart,  that  to-morrow  and  Monday  may  Ire  to  us  a 
season  of  OTeat  good  !  " 

Not  all  the  "mercy-drops  "  were  hindered  from  fall- 
ing, as  the  following  extracts  will  show  :  — 

^"January  31.  —  Went  out,  just  at  night,  so  see  a 
woman  whose  attention  at  meeting  had  attracted  my 
notice  for  two  Sabbaths.  Four.d  her  in  a  somewhat 
interesting  state  of  mind.  It  was  most  affecting  to 
me  to  find  an  inquiring  sister.  Such  an  one  has  never 
been  found  here  before." 

"  February  2.  —  Saw  the  inquiring  woman,  of  whom 
I  spoke  under  the  last  date.     She  spoke  of  her  sin- 


134  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

fulness  in  strong  terms.  Another  woman  standing 
by  became  exceedingly  angry,  and  beat  upon  her 
breast,  saying,  '  Why  do  you  thus  speak?  Do  you 
think  I  am  a  heathen,  going  to  hell,  with  the  Mussul- 
men?  I  am  a  Christian.'  I  said  to  her,  'Do  you 
not  believe  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ?'  'Certainly,' 
she  replied.  I  then  repeated  to  her  some  texts  of 
Scripture,  showing  her  that  not  all  bearing  the  Chris- 
tian name  are  Christians  indeed.  She  seemed  quieted, 
and  listened  with  attention.  What  a  treasure  are  the 
words  of  our  God  !  I  often  deplored  my  ignorance 
of  them  in  America,  but  much  more  here.  When  I 
proposed  to  go  to  another  house,  these  women,  with 
others,  accompanied  me,  for  they  said,  '  We  wish  to 
hear  more.'  On  entering  the  house  we  found  an  in- 
fant crying ;  said  one  of  the  women  to  the  mother, 
'Get  it  quiet,  and  we  will  hear  the  words  of  God.' 
They  listened  attentively  to  all  I  could  say  ;  but,  oh, 
'these  bonds,'  arising  from  an  imperfect  knowledge 
of  the  lanofuasre  ;  and  still  orreater  bonds  of  remainins: 
sin  in  the  heart,  and  want  of  entire  consecration  to 
God  !  O  my  sister,  may  you  be  freed  from  them  ! 
May  your  heart  be  greatly  enlarged  in  prayer  for  dy- 
ing souls  !  Will  you  unite  with  me  at  half-past  seven 
this  evening  in  prayer  for  that  inquiring  sister  in  this 
village  ?  Do  you  not  thii)k  God  will  hear  our  prayers  ? 
Let  us  cast  ourselves  and  our  petitions  into  the  arms 
of  our  heavenly  Father,  as  in  early  childhood  we 
used  to  recline  upon  our  earthly  father's  arm." 

"  15. — Our  con2:reo:atiou  of  women  was  full  to- 
day  and  very  attentive.  Mr.  Stocking  preached 
to  them.  Many  were  affected  to  tears,  and  after 
the  services  closed,  lingered  to  speak  of  their  souls. 


FEMALE    SEMINARY   AT   OROOMIAH.  135 

It  is  deeply  interesting  to  see  those  poor  oppressed 
people  asking  for  the  bread  and  water  of  life. 

"Our  poor  sister,  for  whom  you  have  united  with 
me  in  prayer,  seems  to  be  sitting  at  the  feet  of  the 
blessed  Immanuel.  And  is  it  true  that  one  of  our 
Nestorian  sisters  is  a  true  Christian?  When  I  was 
first  led  to  believe  it,  I  almost  felt  like  old  Simeon : 
'Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace.'  But 
I  would  not  ask  to  go  home.  No,  I  would  rejoice  to 
spend  many  years  in  this  dark  land,  if  here  I  may 
but  serve  my  God.  The  first  intimation  I  had  of  a 
change  in  this  woman's  feelings  was  yesterday  after- 
noon, as  we  were  coming  out  from  the  Syriac  service. 
The  few  women  present,  as  usual,  gathered  about  me 
to  speak  a  few  words.  As  we  walked  along  she 
drew  a  little  nearer,  and  whispered  in  my  car,  '  I  have 
hope  in  Jesus  Christ.'  I  said  to  her,  'But  you  told 
me  two  days  ago  that  there  was  no  hope  for  you  in 
Jesus  Christ.'  She  replied,  '  I  told  you  so,  I)ut  now  I 
have  hope  and  peace  in  Jesus  Christ ;  it  came  to  me 
yesterday.'  As  she  spoke,  a  peaceful  smile  lighted 
up  her  countenance,  like  that  you  have  seen  in  those 
beofinnins:  to  love  the  Saviour.  Tliat  load  of  i2,uilt, 
which  for  days  had  seemed  to  be  bowing  her  to  the 
dust,  she  now  hoped  had  been  borne  by  the  Lamb  of 
God." 

This  first  instance  of  conversion  among  the  Nes- 
toriau  women  filled  the  missionary's  heart  with  live- 
liest joy  and  gratitude.  A  few  days  later,  speaking 
of  this  woman,  she  says :  "  She  continues  to  appear 
well.  It  would  do  you  good  to  see  her.  I  have 
passed  some  of  the  most  interesting  hours  of  my 


136  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

life  with  lier.  Oh  for  the  privilege  of  leading  one 
such  soul  in  the  way  to  heaven,  who  would  not  leave 
father,  mother,  brother,  sister,  and  all  that  this  world 
calls  dear?" 

It  was  an  interesting  circumstance  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  apparently  began  his  work  in  the  heart  of  this 
woman,  through  the  efforts  of  an  unconverted  daugh- 
ter, who  was  a  member  of  the  school.  Miss  Fiske 
writes  :  — 

"She  was  led  to  serious  consideration,  and  taught 
to  pray  by  her  little  daughter,  who  is  in  school,  but 
who,  I  suppose,  has  not  a  particle  of  grace  in  her 
heart.  The  fact  has  greatly  encouraged  me  in  my 
labors  for  my  little  girls,  hoping  that  they  will  them- 
selves sit  down  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  lead 
their  mothers  to  the  same  blessed  spot." 

The  hopes  which  the  missionaries  cherished  of 
witiicssina:  an  extensive  revival  of  relioion  amons:  the 
Nestoi'iaus,  wore  not,  at  this  time,  realized.  While 
the  Spirit  wrought  upon  many  minds,  awakening 
them  to  unusual  seriousness,  and  attentiveness  to  the 
truth,  the  number  of  conversions  was  limited. 

In  May  one  more  was  added  to  the  number  of  her 
boarding  scholars.  She  thus  mentions  the  fact :  "I 
added  another  little  girl  to  ray  family,  day  before 
yesterday.  You  certainly  never  saw  such  a  pitiable 
object  as  she  was  Avhen  she  came  to  me.  I  should 
hardly  suppose  she  had  been  washed  for  five  years ; 
and  she  is  all  covered  with  sores.  Oh,  may  I  do  her 
good  !  " 

Among  her  early  efforts  for  the  religious  instruc- 
tion of  the  young,  was  the  establishment  of  a  Sabbath 
school.     At  first,  a  few  girls  came  to  her  room,  with 


FEMALE    SEMINARY    AT   OROOMIAH.  137 

whom  she  spent  an  hour  each  Sabbath.  In  a  short 
time  the  number  increased  to  fifty ;  and  thus  the  first 
seeds  of  divine  truth  were  sown  in  many  youthful 
minds,  which  were  destined  to  spring  up  and  bear 
precious  fruit. 

Nor  were  Miss  Fiske's  labors  confined  to  the  young. 
As  we  have  already  seen,  she  became  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  mothers  as  well  as  in  the  daughters,  and 
was  unwearied  in  her  endeavors  to  do  them  good. 
She  first  sought  to  secure  their  attendance  at  some 
public  service  on  the  Sabbath.  But  the  feeling  was 
strong  and  universal  that  it  was  improper  for  women 
to  join  in  a  public  assembly  with  men,  —  especially 
with  priests  and  deacons,  —  or  to  listen  to  preaching. 
They  could  not  be  persuaded,  therefore,  to  attend 
the  ordinary  services  conducted  by  the  missionaries 
on  the  Sabbath. 

But  Miss  Fiske  found  that  a  few  were  willinsr  to 
come  to  her  room  at  the  same  hour  with  the  public 
service.  She  prayed  with  these,  and  read  to  them 
the  Scriptures,  with  such  explanations  as  her  imper- 
fect knowledge  of  the  language  permitted.  As  the 
number  increased,  she  persuaded  them  to  allow  one 
of  the  missionary  brethren  to  come  in  and  conduct 
the  meeting.  In  this  way  their  prejudices  were  over- 
come, and  they  were  in  time  prepared  to  unite  in  the 
regular  service,  and  separate  meetings  tor  them  were 
discontinued. 

Her  first  efforts  to  interest  the  women  in  the  Bible 
were  sometimes  amusing.  "She  would  seat  herself 
among  them  on  the  earthen  floor,  and  read  a  verse, 
then  ask  questions,  to  see  if  they  understood  it.  For 
example :   after  reading  the  history  of  the  creation 


138  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

(for  she  began  at  the  beginuing),  she  asked,  'Who 
was  the  first  man  ? '  Answer  :  '  What  do  we  know  ? 
we  are  women.'  This  was  about  equivalent  in 
English  to  'We  are  donkeys.'  Then  she  told  them 
Adam  was  the  first  man,  and  made  them  repeat  the 
name  'Adam'  over  and  over  till  they  remembered  it. 
The  next  question  was,  'What  does  it  mean?'  Here, 
too,  they  could  give  no  answer;  not  because  they  did 
not  know,  for  the  word  was  in  common  use  among 
them ;  but  they  had  no  idea  that  they  could  answer, 
and  so  they  did  not,  but  were  perfectly  delighted  to 
find  that  the  first  man  was  called  recZ  earth,  because 
he  was  made  of  it.  This  was  enough  for  one  lesson. 
Jt  set  them  to  thinking;  it  woke  up  faculties  pre- 
viously dormant.  .  .  .  Another  lesson  would 
take  up  Eve  (Syriac  Hawa,  meaning  Life).  Miss 
Fiske  would  begin  by  saying,  'Is  not  that  a  pretty 
name  ?  Would  you  not  like  to  know  that  you  had 
a  great-great-grandmother  called  Life?  Now,  that 
was  the  name  of  our  first  mother,  —  both  yours  and 
mine.'  It  was  interesting  to  notice  how  faces,  pre- 
viously stolid,  would  light  up  with  animation  after 
that,  if  the  preacher  happened  to  repeat  the  names 
of  our  first  parents,  and  how  one  would  touch  another, 
whispering,  with  childish  joy,  'Didn't  you  hear?  He 
said  Adam.'"* 

Miss  Fiske  was  not  content  with  reaching  the  few 
women  who  thus  came  at  her  invitation  to  attend 
religious  meetings,  and  receive  religious  instruction 
•it  the  seminary.  She  visited  them  at  their  homes, 
oroins:  from  house  to  house,  where  filth  and  vermin 

DO  ' 

*  **  Woman  and  Her  Saviour  in  Persia,"  pp.  83,  84. 


FEMALE    SEMINARY   AT   OiiOOMIAH.  139 

would  have  repelled  any  woman  of  refinement,  whose 
heart  did  not  glow  with  love  to  Christ,  and  love  to 
perishing  souls  for  whom  he  died. 

She  frequently  extended  her  visits  to  the  neighbor- 
ing villages.  Under  date  of  April  8th,  she  writes  : 
"I  have,  this  afternoon,  been  to  walk  with  my  chil- 
dren ;  of  course,  with  a  guard,  for  without  one  1 
never  go  out.  We  went  to  Dizza,  a  village  just  out- 
side the  city  wall,  but  about  a  mile  from  our  prem- 
ises. Word  had  gone  before  that  I  was  coming,  and 
seemingly  the  whole  village  came  out  to  meet  me. 
Entering  a  house,  and  seating  myself  on  a  mat,  they 
gathered  about  me  until  the  house  was  so  completely 
filled  that  they  literally  trod  one  upon  another.  After 
speaking  with  them  a  few  minutes,  one  of  the  older 
women  said, '  Now,  we  are  all  here  together,  will  you 
preach  to  us  a  little  ?  '  By  preaching,  they  mean  relig- 
ious conversation.  I  talked  to  them  some  time,  while 
they  gave  breathless  attention.  When  I  left  them, 
they  wished  to  know  if  I  would  not  come  every  Sab- 
bath and  speak  to  them.  Could  I  go  about  here  as 
safely  as  I  used  to  do  at  home,  I  am  sure  I  should  do 
it.     Oh,  that  I  may  be  better  fitted  for  my  work  !  " 

May  7th,  she  writes  :  "  Went  to  Howsee  and  Nazee 
to-day.  The  first  is  about  ten  and  the  other  about 
eleven  miles  from  the  city.  Our  company  consisted 
of  Mr.  Stocking,  Priest  Yohannan,  —  a  man  in  Mr. 
S.'s  employ,  and  little  Jerusha.  We  took  Jerusha 
to  relieve  her  mother,  who  has  not  yet  fully  recovered 
her  strength.  At  both  these  villages  are  schools. 
We  first  went  to  Nazee,  and  visited  the  school.  I 
then  went  into  a  house,  and  a  large  number  of  women 
came  to  see  me.     I  found  that  I  could  succeed  much 


140  TMTII   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

better  in  speaking  with  them  than  ever  before  with 
strange rs.  It  encouraged  me  very  much  in  my  hopes 
of  being  able  soon  to  communicate  freely  with  all. 
After  I  had  talked  with  them  a  while,  Mr.  S.  came 
in,  and  they  all  immediately  arose,  ready  to  run 
away.  It  was  with  difficulty  we  could  persuade  them 
to  stop.  You  have  no  idea  what  a  hindrance  to  their 
improvement  are  the  false  notions  of  these  people  in 
regard  to  intercourse  with  the  other  sex.  From 
Nazee  we  came  to  Howzee.  Priest  Yohannan  had 
provided  dinner  for  us ;  and  a  good  dinner  it  was, 
too,  consisting  of  little  fishes  (which  are  plenty  in 
the  river  near  Howzee),  eggs,  rice,  new  cheese, 
bread,  etc.,  etc.  I  wish  you  could  see  us  seated  at 
a  native  table.  I  have  learned  to  eat  with  my  fingers 
very  well.  After  dinner,  Mr.  S.  went  to  the  school ; 
but  I  thought  it  best  to  remain  behind,  and  thus  have 
an  opportunity  to  see  the  women.  They  filled  the 
room  in  which  I  was  sitting,  and  I  had  a  pleasant 
interview  with  them  ;  but  as  soon  as  Mr.  S.  returned 
they  all  fled.  It  being  now  late,  we  set  oj.ir  faces 
homeward.  In  America,  I  should  have  thought  a 
ride  of  ten  miles  on  horseback  a  formidable  thing ; 
but  here  it  is  only  pleasure.  My  little  pony  car- 
ried me  safely  over  the  ground;  and,  although 
dark  clouds  gathered  around,  we  outrode  the  rain, 
and  safely  reached  home  before  night.  I  am  now 
a  little  tired,  but  hope  for  more  such  excursions 
soon." 

The  sick  of  either  sex  among  the  Nestorians  soon 
learned  that  in  Miss  Fiske  they  had  a  most  kind 
and  sympathizing  friend.  "A  report  of  sickness," 
says   Dr.   Perkins,    "was   always   a   sufficient   sura- 


FEMALE    SEMINARY   AT   OROOMIAH  141 

mons  to  carry  her  to  the  sufferer's  bedside."     In  her 
letters  at  this  period  occur  passages  like  the  follow 
ing :  — 

*' April  12. — I  have  to-day  been  to  see  a  brother 
of  Mar.  Shimon,  who  is  sick,  and  perhaps  near  his 
end.  Poor  man  !  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that 
he  is  prepared  for  death.  I  have  been  trying  to  pre- 
pare some  little  things  for  his  comfort  this  evening. 
Your  heart  would  aohe,  my  dear  mother,  to  see  this 
poor  people  in  sickness." 

"19.  —  Have  been  out  this  afternoon  to  visit  the 
sick  near  us.  I  found  the  brother  of  the  Patriarch 
no  better.  Was  glad  to  find  that  he  thought  himself 
unprepared  for  death.  Oh,  may  his  proud  heart  bow 
to  Jesus  !  To  go  among  the  sick  here,  is,  I  feel,  ono 
of  our  duties." 

In  the  mission  families  her  services  as  nurse  were 
invaluable,  and  were  often  put  in  requisition.  The 
care  of  infants  by  day  and  night  was  no  slight  addi- 
tion to  her  other  numerous  duties,  but  was  cheerfully 
assumed  ;  and  no  one  but  herself  saw  any  feason  for 
saying,  "You  will  pity  both  mother  and  child  with 
such  nursing."  "I  should  not  have  thought  at  home," 
she  adds,  ''  that  I  was  fit  for  such  a  thing.  But  the 
little  one  has  seemed  to  do  very  well,  and  I  am  be- 
ginning to  feel  that  I  must  not  think  there  is  anything 
I  cannot  do.  Every  kind  of  knowledge  turns  to  ac- 
count on  missionary  ground." 

About  the  middle  of  June  her  school  was  dis- 
missed for  the  summer,  except  her  l)oarding  pupils, 
now  numbering  twelve,  whom  it  was  thought  best  to 
take  with  her  to  the  health  retreat *at  Seir. 

An  extract  from  a  letter  to  one  of  the  teachers  at 


142  FAITH  ■svonivixn  by  love. 

Mt.  Holyoke  Seminary  will  close  our  review  of  this 
period  :  — 

"After  haviDg  been  so  little  while  on  missionary 
ground,  I  feel  th:it  I  um  unfit  to  speak  in  regard  to 
missionary  qualifications  with  confidence.  But  to 
you,  dear  sister  (not  to  the  world),  I  may  speak 
with  all  freedom.  I  feel  more  and  more  that  the 
missionary  mnst  have  fully  counted  the  cost  of  his 
work  to  be  useful.  If  he  has  failed  to  do  this,  as  far 
as  he  was  able  to,  in  his  own  land,  disappointment  in 
the  people  to  whom  he  is  sent,  their  extreme  filthi- 
ness,  wretchedness,  and  ignorance,  and  still  more  their 
wickedness  of  heart,  will  induce  a  despondency  which 
it  will  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  rise  above.  It  is 
not  usually  the  trials  of  a  tempopal  nature  that  so 
much  affect  the  missionary ;  it  is  want  of  spiritual 
success.  It  is  the  same  unwavering  confidence  in 
God;  the  same  cheerful,  active,  persevering  piety, 
which  is  so  valuable  at  home,  that  is  needed  on 
missionary  ground.  Are  you  surrounded  by  youth- 
ful hearts  longing  to  point  heathen  souls  to  the  Lamb 
of  God?  O  my  sister,  enforce  upon  them  the  im- 
portance of  being  wholly  devoted  to  the  work  of  God 
at  home  !  If  they  are  faithful  at  Holyoke,  laboring 
faithfully  for  their  own  and  others'  souls,  they  doubt- 
less would  be  faithful  in  Persia,  China,  or  India. 
The  same  love  which  prompts  to  faithfulness  there, 
would  be  carried  to  a  foreign  land.  Oh,  could  I 
whisper  one  word  in  the  ears  of  those  clear  young 
sisters  I  left  behind,  it  would  be  this  :  'Be  faithful  in 
all  things  in  yoiu-  present  situation,  and,  if  your 
Father  has  a  work  for  you  on  missionary  ground,  he 
will  thus  fit  you  for  it. ' " 


VISIT   TO   ARDISHAI.  143 


CHAPTER  IX. 

JUNE,    1844,    TO   JUNE,    1845. 

Visit  to  Ardishai.  —  Miss  Fiske  "  Preaches."  —  Pupils  taken  to  Seir  in  Vaoiv- 
tion. — Persecution.  —  Schools  Disbanded  by  the  Patriarch. — Payment 
of  Money  to  Day  Scholars  Discontinued.  —  Mothers  of  the  Pupils  Con- 
vened.—  Miss  Fiske's  Narrow  Escape. — Entertainment  for  Friends  at 
Close  of  School. 

At  the  close  of  her  school,  Mr.  Stocking  invited 
Miss  Fiske  to  join  him  and  his  family  in  a  visit  to 
Ardishai,  a  village  some  twelve  miles  from  Oroomiah. 
Her  account  of  the  visit,  written  years  afterwards, 
will  disclose  the  nature  of  her  work  amono:  the 
women,  and  her  tact  in  prosecuting  it:  "On  reach- 
ing Ardishai  Saturday  morning  we  were  surrounded 
by  people,  few  of  whom  ever  before  had  seen  foreign 
ladies.  Our  tent  was  soon  spread  on  the  rdof  of  a 
house.  We  went  up  to  it  by  a  ladder,  and  there 
made  ourselves  comfortable.  It  was  my  first  day  in 
a  large  village,  and  I  became  so  tired  loith,  not  of,  the 
crowds,  that  I  cannot  now  think  of  that  June  Satur- 
day with  other  than  a  most  tired  feeling.  We  were 
very  near  the  lake,  and  all  night  long  had  swarms  of 
mosquitoes  in  our  tent.  There  was  no  sleep  for  some 
of  us,  and  the  morning  brought  the  crowds  again, 
not  as  inquirers,  but  merely  to  see  some  new  and 
strange  thing.  About  nine  o'clock  we  went  to 
church,  where  Mr.  Stocking  preached.  There  were  a 
goodly  number  of  men  present,  and  a  few  women. 


144  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

The  latter  sat  most  lovingly  near  me,  and  during  the 
sermon  were  occupied  in  making  comments  on  my 
dress,  etc.  Mr.  Stocking  was  always  able  to  preach, 
even  when  the  women  did  talk,  by  raising  his  voice 
above  theirs.  At  the  close  of  the  morning  service, 
Priest  Abraham,  who  was  with  us,  rose  and  said, 
'  There  will  be  two  meetings  this  afternoon,  one  in 
the  other  church  for  the  men,  and  one  here  for  the 
women.  I  want  to  have  all  the  women  attend,  for 
Miss  Fiske,  who  nas  come  from  the  New  World,  will 
preach.'  I  was  taken  greatly  by  surprise  at  the 
announcement,  for  Priest  Abraham  htid  said  nothing 
to  me  ;  but  it  was  not  the  time  or  place  for  me  to  say 
anything.  I  told  Priest  Abraham  that  he  had  done 
wrong  to  tell  them  so.  He  said,  'I  knew  they  would 
come  if  they  heard  that  you  were  to  preach,  and  you 
can  preach  very  well ;  the  girls  told  me  so.'  I  asked 
Mr.  Stocking  to  help  me  out  of  the  trouble ;  and  the 
priest  was  greatly  disappointed  when  he  found  that 
his  notice  had  left  him  alone  to  preach  to  the  men. 
We  went  to  the  church,  where  were  at-^  least  five 
hundred  women  with  half  as  many  children.  I  looked 
over  them  with  a  sad  feeling,  for  I  was  sure  there  was 
not  one  there  askino;  to  know  the  truth.  Thev  were 
a  rude,  noisy  company.  Mr.  Stocking  was  able  to 
preach  and  gain  a  little  attention  ;  but  it  seemed  to 
me  that  there  was  not  a  moment  when  not  half  a 
dozen  voices  were  heard  beside  the  preacher's. 
When  he  closed,  as  many  as  a  score  of  voices  called 
out,  'Now  let  Miss  Fiske  preach.'  So  the  good 
brother  withdrew,  and  left  me  to  the  mercy  of  the 
crowd.  My  preaching  was  soon  done.  I  told  them 
that  when  I  knew  their  languaoje  better  I  would  come 


MISS   FISKE    PREACHES.  145 

to  talk  to  them  in  a  meeting,  only  I  could  not  talk 
when  they  were  talking,  for  God  had  given  me  very 
little  voice ;  and  I  had  some  words  for  them  that 
would  no  more  mix  with  their  words  than  oil  would 
mix  with  water.  They  said,  '  Oil  and  water  never 
mix:  we  will  be  silent  if  you  will  come  and  preach.'" 
Of  a  subsequent  visit  to  the  same  place  Miss  Fiske 
says:  "The  women  remembered  my  promise,  and 
hundreds  came  together ;  but  they  did  not  remember 
to  be  silent.  As  soon  as  I  began  to  talk,  they  began 
to  talk  also.  I  knew  I  was  not  heard,  and  when  I 
asked  them  to  be  quiet,  each  began  to  exhort  her 
neighbor  to  be  still,  but  entirely  forgot  herself.  After 
trying  for  some  time  to  no  purpose,  I  said,  I  cannot 
say  anything  more  unless  you  will  all  put  your 
fingers  upon  your  lips,  and  not  say  one  word.  All 
their  fingers  went  up,  and  I  said,  I  have  a  very  good 
story  to  tell  you,  but  I  cannot  tell  it  if  one  takes  her 
fingers  from  her  lips.  Then,  with  half-suppressed 
voices,  they  began  to  say,  '  Be  still,  be  still,  so  that 
we  can  hear  the  story.'  Some  minutes  passed  before 
the  four  hundred  women  were  so  quieted  that  I  could 
tell  my  story.  But  at  last  there  was  silence ;  and  I 
am  afraid  you  will  think  I  gave  them  a  strange 
Sabbath-day  talk.  But  I  did  as  well  as  I  knew  how, 
and  it  did  not  seem  as  strange  on  the  spot  as  it  does 
in  telling  it;  and  it  did  good.  It  was  a  kind  of  pre- 
paratory work.  I  said,  'Once  there  was  an  old 
woman.  I  did  not  know  her,  and  my  father  did  not 
know  her,  and  I  think  my  grandfither  did  not  know 
her,  but  he  told  me  the  story.'  Here  they  began  to 
inquire  after  my  grandfather,  and  I  was  obliged  again 
to  get  all  the  fingers  on  the  lips,  and  tell  them  that 
10 


146  FATTH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

they  would  not  hear  any  more  about  the  woman  if 
they  talked  about  my  grandfather.  'Now,  this  old 
woman  went  to  meeting,  and  always  talked  in  meet- 
ing. I  should  think  she  might  have  been  one  of  your 
relatives.  At  last  they  told  her  she  must  not  go  to 
meeting  any  more.  She  pleaded  very  hard  to  go, 
and  promised  not  to  say  one  word.  They  let  her  go, 
but,  poor  woman,  she  could  not  be  still.  As  soon  as 
the  minister  began  to  preach,  she  began  to  talk,  when, 
hearing  her  own  voice,  she  said,  "Oh,  I  have  spoken 
in  meeting !  There,  I  have  spoken  again !  What 
shall  I  do?  And  again  !  Why,  I  keep  on  talking ;  I 
cannot  stop  !  "  Now,  you  are  very  much  like  that 
woman.  I  do  not  think  you  can  stop  talking,  so  I 
must  stop.'  Their  fingers  were  now  all  closely 
pressed  to  their  lips.  They  did  not  answer  me  at 
all.  I  took  the  Testament  and  read  to  them  of  Mary, 
and  told  them  I  was  sure  that  she  never  talked  in 
meeting,  and  that  if  she  had,  Jesus  would  not  have 
loved  her  so  much.  I  talked  to  them  about  fifteen 
minutes  more,  and  prayed  with  them,  and  they  went 
out  very  still." 

Writing  from  Seir,  June  22d,  Miss  Fiske  thus 
speaks  of  a  church  which  she  visited  in  the  village  of 
Mar  Sergis :  — 

"  Here  is  a  large  stone  church,  which  is  much  re- 
sorted to  by  sick  persons  and  others.  Here  they 
present  offerings,  consisting  of  pocket-handkerchiefs, 
pieces  of  calico,  silk,  etc.,  all  of  which  are  hung  upon 
the  walls  of  the  church,  and  for  which  they  expect  to 
have  their  requests  granted.  The  walls  of  this  great 
church  are  almost  entirely  covered  with  these  things ; 
and  many  a  Nestorian,  and  also  Mussulman,  is  ready  to 


PERSECUTION.  147 

testify  that  the  lame  have  been  made  to  \^alk,  the 
sick  been  made  well;  and,  above  all,  that  many  a 
child  has  been  given  in  return  for  these  votive  offer- 
ings. The  church  bears  the  name  of  a  former  bishop 
of  Oroomiah,  and  often  have  I  heard  him  invoked  in 
words  like  these:  'O  Mar  Sergis,  give  me  a  son!' 
It  is  very  painful  to  see  superstition  thus  maintaining 
its  sway  here." 

For  about  two  weeks  Miss  Fiske  was  pleasantly 
occupied,  at  Seir,  in  instructing  her  boarding  pupils, 
whom  she  had  taken  with  her,  hoping  that  she  should 
be  able  to  do  much  for  their  improvement,  while  they 
were  thus  removed  from  the  temptations  of  the  city ; 
but  her  labors  and  plans  were  suddenly  interrupted 
by  a  storm  of  persecution  which  burst  upon  the  mis- 
sion. 

When,  after  the  sacking  of  the  mountains  by  the 
Koords,  Mar.  Shimon,  the  patriarch,  fled  to  Mosul, 
his  brothers  found  their  way  to  Oroomiah,  and  were 
received  by  the  missionaries,  for  a  while,  as  their 
guests.  They  soon,  however,  manifested  "such  a 
haughty  and  overbearing  spirit,  that  the  mission  felt 
obliged  to  decline  longer  giving  them  a  support.  At 
this  they  were  greatly  enraged,  and  vowed  vengeance. 
Their  tirst  hostile  movements  were  directed  against 
the  missionary  operations  at  Seir.  For  several  years 
Mr.  Stocking  had  been  in  the  habit  of  assembling,  by 
invitation,  the  teachers  of  the  school  for  a  short  time, 
in  order  to  give  them  special  religious  instruction. 
The  interest  in  these  meetin2:s  having:  increased  this 
year,  the  invitation  included  others  besides  teachers, 
and  about  seventy  in  all  were  gathered  at  Seir,  whom 
the  brethren  of  the  mission  were  greatly  interested  in 


148  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

instructing.  On  Friday,  the  fifth  of  July,  an  or- 
der came  from  the  brothers  of  Mar.  Shimon  that  the 
teachers  should  be  disbanded,  and  should  appear  be- 
fore them  at  the  city. 

"It  came,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  "like  a  thunderbolt 
to  many,  and  they  knew  not  how  to  interpret  it.  It 
■was  deemed  best  to  dismiss  the  school  (of  teachers), 
and  allow  all  to  go  according  to  orders.  An  inves- 
tigation of  the  case  on  Monday  led  the  mission  to 
feel  it  best  to  discontinue  their  operations,  except 
so  far  as  there  was  a  decided  wish  on  the  part  of 
individuals  to  receive  instruction.  Threats  of  ex- 
comumnication  from  the  Nestorian  Church  were  sent 
to  these  few  on  Tuesday ;  but  they  heeded  them 
not.  Said  one  good  native  brother,  in  reply,  '  I  fear 
not  the  curses  of  men  ;  they  are,  I  trust,  my  Father's 
blessings.'  On  Wednesday  the  threats  were  again 
repeated,  in  something  like  this  form :  'Know  ye,  all 
ye  readers  at  Seir,  if  you  do  not  come  to  us  to-morrow, 
we  will  excommunicate  you  from  our  holy  church ; 
your  finger-nails  shall  be  torn  out;  we  wil^hunt  you 
from  village  to  village,  and  kill  you  if  we  can.'  These 
denunciations,  much  as  they  might  and  did  afiect  some, 
moved  not  these.  Their  language  was,  'We  fear 
not  what  man  can  do  to  us.' 

"The  expression,  'all  ye  readers,'  as  you  will  per- 
ceive, included  my  little  girls.  That  it  was  the 
design  of  the  Patriarch's  brothers  to  remove  these 
children,  we  were  not  certain.  Indeed,  we  hardly 
supposed  it  was ;  but  it  was  thought  best,  after  con- 
sideration, '^hat  the  girls  should  be  sent  away,  lest 
they  should  finally  take  them  away,  or  prefer  some 
false  charge  against  us  for  detaining  them.     I  called 


SCHOOLS    DISBANDED.  149 

thom  together,  aud  Mr.  Stocking  briefly  told  them 
the  reasons  why  they  were  to  bo  sent  away.  I  wept 
like  a  child,  and  they  all  burst  into  audible  weeping. 
I  have  wept  before  when  called  to  part  with  those  for 
whom  I  had  been  permitted  to  labor;  but,  oh,  I 
knew  not  then  the  l)iiterness  I  now  felt !  I  was  about 
to  send  back  these  children  to  a  darkness  almost  like 
heathenism.  Oh,  what  a  thought !  Had  I  not  re- 
membered that  the  Lord  taketh  care  of  his  own,  and 
believed  that  he  would  bring  light  out  of  darkness, 
my  feelings  would  have  been  insupportable.  It  was 
near  night  when  the  message  for  their  departure 
reached  us,  and  we  conld  only  send  away  those  whose 
homes  were  nearest  hs,  on  that  night.  "When  ready 
to  go,  each  one  fell  upon  my  neck  aud  wept  a  long 
time.  Jesus  took  such  little  ones  in  his  arms  and 
blessed  them  ;  but  those  professing  to  be  his  followers 
were  forbiddino'  us  to  do  it.  The  children  who  were 
to  remain  till  morning  requested  that  they  might  go 
a  little  distance  with  their  companions.  I  gave  them 
permission  to  do  so;  but  no  sooner  were  they-out  of 
the  gate  than  ihey  all  began  again  to  weep  most  bit- 
terly, exclaiming,  '  Oh,  we  shall  hear  the  words  of 
God  no  more  ! '  The  sight  of  the  grief  of  these  little 
ones  affected  stout  hearts  to  tears.  Said  a  German 
Jew  (who  is  with  us,  and  who  has  been  in  difFerenl 
countries),  in  brolven  English,  'I  seen  much  bad  to 
missionaries  in  other  countries,  but  nothing  bad  like 
this,  to  take  little  children  from  words  of  Jesus 
Christ !  '  This  was  on  Wednesday  evening,  10th 
inst.  The  other  children  left  on  Thursday  morning, 
with  the  exception  of  Priest  Abraham's  daughter. 
He  takes  decided  ground  against  these  wicked  men, 


150  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

and  insists  on  his  daughter's  remainin«j.  I  have  felt 
exceedingly  lonely  since  that  day.  It  seems  as  if 
death  had  been  in  the  midst  of  us,  and  I  would  be 
admonished  by  this  to  be  faithful  while  the  day  lasts." 

The  hostility  of  the  patriarchal  family  increased  in 
bitterness,  through  papal  influences,  until  all  the 
schools  scattered  over  the  plain,  about  fifty  in  number, 
were  broken  up,  and  the  thousand  children  instructed 
in  them  scattered.  The  very  existence  of  the  mis- 
sion was  threatened,  and  at  one  time  it  seemed  prob- 
able that  our  missionaries  would  all  be  driven  from 
the  country.  But,  through  the  kind  oflSces  of  the 
Russian  ambassador  at  Teheran,  the  plans  of  their 
enemies  were  thwarted,  and  they  were  permitted  to 
remain  and  to  go  on  with  their  work,  though  not 
without  great  opposition. 

When  the  missionaries  had  most  reason  to  fear  ex- 
l^ulsion  from  the  country.  Miss  Fiske  thus  wrote  : 
"  The  thouijht  of  tiirninof  our  back  on  those  whom 
we  had  hoped  to  be  instrumental  in  raising  to  life 
and  immortality  is  truly  painful.  The  "possibility 
of  its  being  so  has  cost  me  many  a  struggle  ;  but  I 
hope  I  am  now  willing  to  go  anywhere  that  my  Father 
sees  best  to  send  me.  Yes,  if  he  sees  best  that  1 
should  return  to  my  native  land,  I  trust  that  I  shall 
go  cheerfully  and  happily,  and  there  do  his  holy  will. 
Yet,  I  do  pray  that,  if  it  be  his  will,  I  may  live  and 
labor  here.  I  knew  not  before  that  my  affections 
had  become  so  closely  entwined  around  this  poor 
people,  nor  how  severely  I  should  feel  a  removal 
from  them." 

In  November,  Miss  Fiske  had  the  pleasure  of  wel- 
coming back  to  her  school-room  in  the  city  all  her 


TAYMENT    OF    MONEY    DISCOM'INUED.  151 

scattered  pupils,  who  brought  others  with  tnem,  the 
school  opening  with  twenty,  —  all  boarders. 

From  the  beginning,  her  strong  desire  had  been 
to  make  it  a  boarding  school.  The  day  scholars  had, 
up  to  this  time,  been  more  numerous  than  those  who 
remained  under  her  constant  care.  Twenty-live 
cents  a  week  had  been  paid  to  them,  instead  of  their 
board.  The  discontinuance  of  this,  it  was  thous^ht, 
would  induce  more  to  become  boarders.  Accord- 
ingly, when  she  closed  her  school  in  the  spring,  Miss 
Fiske  told  her  scholars  that  no  more  money  would  be 
paid  them.  Of  this  step  she  afterwards  said,  "I  do 
not  now  see  how  I  ventured  to  do  it,  and  I  remember 
that  it  was  said  in  the  mission,  at  the  time,  that  it 
would  probably  be  resumed ;  but  it  never  was,  and 
was  dropped  in  the  boys'  school  soon  after." 

The  success  of  the  measure  fully  justified  its 
adoption.  The  number  of  pupils  gradually  in- 
creased, and  Miss  Fiske  thus  writes,  December  16th  : 
"I  have  now  twenty-five  little  girls,  all  under  thir- 
teen years.  They  are  a  great  charge,  oft^n  way- 
ward, and  causing  my  inmost  soul  to  weep;  and  yet 
I  have  so  much  to  encourage  me  that  I  am  far  from 
sinking.  I  have  as  an  assistant  a  Nestorian  deacon, 
who  magnifies  his  deaconship  by  his  faithfulness,  and 
is,  I  hope,  a  true  Christian." 

Under  date  of  March  1st,  she  thus  writes  :  "Most 
of  my  girls  leave  me  to-day  for  a  week's  vacation. 
I  find  that  I  am  needing  rest.  You  may  wonder  that 
I  should  be  worn  with  no  larger  school,  and  with 
native  help.  But  you  must  know  that  I  must  be 
mother,  antl  house-keeper,  as  well  as  teacher.  The 
girls  come  to  nie  needing  a  great  deal  of  care  at  first. 


152  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

Each  one  must  be  separately  cared  for  as  she  comes 
in;  otherwise  the  filth,  etc.,  that  she  has  brought 
from  her  home,  will  spread  through  our  partially 
purified  fiimily.  .  .  .  I  must  look  to  all  their  food  and 
all  their  clothes.  I  must  see  that  they  are  in  readiness 
for  every  duty,  and  also  that  they  perform  it.  I  must 
see  that  they  are  all  quiet  at  the  hour  of  sleep,  and 
that  they  are  awake  at  the  hour  of  waking ;  in  short, 
there  is  no  hour  in  which  I  can  sit  down  and  feel 
perfectly  at  ease  in  regard  to  my  little  ones,  if  I  am 
absent  from  them  ;  and  yet,  I  doubt  not  that  I  have 
found  more  help  than  many  who  undertake  such  a 
charge  in  foreign  lands.  It  is  no  small  work  to  pre- 
pare lessons,  even  in  the  imperfect  way  I  give  them. 
1  have  enjoyed  much  in  reading  the  Bible  with  these 
children.  We  spend  hours  each  da}^  thus  employed. 
God  may  yet  sanctify  them  through  his  truth  ;  though 
now  they  seem  far  from  it.  When  tried  with  the 
filth  and  desrradation  of  these  skirls  and  of  their 
mothers,  I  am  comforted  by  the  thought  that  Jesus 
has  been  in  just  such  homes  and  blessed  tl^eir  little 
ones.  How  much  more  he  felt  these  things  than  I 
can  feel  them  !  I  love  to  rest  in  this  thought,  when 
;i  new  child  is  brought  to  me  ;  and  when  I  am  wan- 
dering in  the  lanes  of  our  city." 

Two  years  had  now  elapsed  since  Miss  Fiske  left 
her  native  land.  Alluding  to  this  fact  she  says, 
writing  to  her  mother  :  ''  Surely  goodness  and  mercy 
have  followed  my  every  step.  It  is  good  to  trust 
in  the  Lord.  You,  my  dear  mother,  know  the 
preciousness  of  such  trust.  You  have  felt  it,  I  know, 
since  I  have  been  separated  from  you.  May  you  be 
enabled  firmly  to  confide  in  the  Lord  all  the  days  of 


MOIHERS    OF   PUPILS    CONVENED.  153 

your  life.  I  feel  that  distrust  is  one  of  the  Christian's 
greatest  sins ;  and  I  feel  that  I,  of  all,  am  the  most 
guilty.  When  I  look  back  on  my  past  life,  and  remem- 
ber how  distrustful  I  have  been  of  my  Father's  lead- 
ings, I  wonder  that  he  has  borne  with  me,  and  is 
giving  me  the  privilege  of  living  and  laboring  for 
him.  Oh,  pray  for  me,  my  dear  mother,  that  I  may 
always  exercise  a  humble  trust  in  the  Lord,  and  be 
ever  found  doing  his  holy  will." 

In  her  engrossing  labors  for  her  pupils.  Miss  Fiske 
did  not  forget  their  mothers,  but  in  various  ways 
sought  to  reach  and  benefit  them  also.  March  8th, 
she  writes :  "Not  long  since  I  invited  the  mothers 
of  all  my  children  to  spend  an  afternoon  with  their 
daus'hters.  Almost  all  came  ;  some  walkinsr  five  or 
six  miles  in  the  snow  and  mud.  It  was  an  interest- 
ing hour  when  we  could  thus  bring  mothers  and 
daughters  together,  and  enforce  upon  them  their  rela- 
tive duties.  I  hope  the  afternoon  was  not  spent  in 
vain,  and  that  I  shall  enjoy  many  such  precious  priv- 
ileges with  the  mothers  and  daughters  of  thjs  fallen 
Israel." 

She  encouraged  among  her  pupils  habits  of  indus- 
try, as  well  as  of  study,  and  often  evinced  great  tact 
in  turning  little  incidents  into  incentives  to  efibrt. 
Some  friend  in  America  had  sent  to  her  a  few  copies 
of  the  "Youth's  Companion."  The  girls  were  ex- 
ceedingly interested  in  them,  and  wished  they  could 
receive  the  paper  regularly.  "  Wishing  to  test  the 
strength  of  their  desire,"  she  says,  "  I  asked  them 
how  they  would  pay  for  it.  They  immediately  in- 
quired if  they  could  not  knit  stockings  and  send  to 
the  editor.     They  thought  of  this  expedient,  having 


154  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

just  learned  to  knit,  and,  highly  valuing  the  acquisi- 
tion, supposed  they  could  accomplish  anything  by  ii. 
Seeing  their  earnestness,  I  told  them  it  would  not  be 
well  to  try  to  send  stockings  to  America ;  but  that  I 
would  give  them  six  cents  a  pair  for  socks  until  they 
had  knit  enough  to  pay  for  the  paper  one  year.  They 
were  soon  busy  at  their  work,  and  it  is  now  more 
than  half  accomplished,  and  soon  I  hope  these  little 
'  friends  of  youth '  will  be  winging  their  way  to  far- 
off  Persia,  followed  by  the  prayers  of  Christians." 

It  was  no  longer  difficult  to  obtain  the  desired 
number  of  pupils  as  boarders.  Parents  who,  the  year 
before,  thought  it  would  be  a  disgrace  to  place  their 
daughters  in  Miss  Fiske's  school,  were  now  greatly 
disappointed  and  grieved  to  find  that  they  could  not 
be  received.  There  were  so  many  applicants  that, 
when  no  more  could  be  taken  as  boarders,  MissFiske 
consented  to  admit  a  few  day  scholars ;  these,  with 
the  least  advanced  of  the  boarders,  coustitutincf  a  dis- 
tinct  department  in  the  school. 

This  day  school  was  taught  by  Selby,  a^irl  four- 
teen years  of  age,  who  h:id  been  one  of  the  most 
promising  pupils  in  the  seminary,  but  had  left  the 
year  before,  and  was  married  to  a  little  boy,  a  year 
younger  than  herself.  Her  f  ither-in-law  consenting, 
she  returned  to  take  the  place  of  teacher,  and  soon 
after  became  an  earnest  Christian. 

Her  conversion  was  followed  by  the  awakening  of 
several  of  the  pupils.  Miss  Fiske  writes  :  "  I  think 
I  now  see  far  more  of  the  Spirit's  workings  than  at 
any  time  since  I  have  been  here.  Some  of  the 
girls  in  school  manifest  religious  interest.  My  soul 
is  full  when  I  think  of  them,  and  it  is  only  when  I 


MISS  fiske's  narkow  escape.  155 

can  cast  them  upon  Jesus  that  I  can  feel  happy.  If 
they  are  ever  converted,  it  must  be  the  Lord's  work; 
I  feel  this  more  and  more." 

Miss  Fiske  greatly  enjoyed  the  release  from  the 
confinement  and  labors  of  the  school-room,  which  an 
occasional  ride  to  Seir  afforded.  During  one  of  these 
rides,  May  13th,  an  accident  befell  her,  which  came 
near  being  fatal.  The  account  is  best  given  in  her 
own  words  :  "  Feeling  the  warm  weather  very  much 
in  the  city,  Mr.  Stoddard  proposed  that  we  ride  to 
Seir  and  breathe  the  mountain  air.  Accordingly 
after  dinner  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Stoddard  and  I  left,  ac- 
companied by  little  Jerusha,  Willie,  and  Hattie,  in  the 
baskets,  a  man  riding  on  the  horse  that  carried  the 
baskets.  About  half  a  mile  from  the  city  is  a  river 
which  we  were  obliged  to  ford  in  going  to  Seir.  At 
this  season  of  the  year  it  is  much  swollen  by  the 
melting  of  the  snow  on  the  mountains.  The  day  we 
rode,  it  was  higher  than  usual.  Mr.  Stoddard  first 
went  into  the  river,  and  Mrs.  Stoddard  and  I  followed. 
Mrs.  Stoddard's  horse  went  directly  through,  but 
mine,  when  he  came  to  the  middle  of  the  stream  where 
the  water  was  some  three  or  four  feet  deep,  stopped. 
I  immediately  struck  him,  and  he  as  quickly  lay  down 
in  the  water,  and  I  was  thrown  over  his  back.  After 
being  thus  plunged  into  the  water,  I  saw  my  horse 
coming  over  me,  while  I  was  between  his  fore  and 
hind  legs.  But  he  passed  over  without  touching  me. 
Before  I  could  regain  an  upright  position,  I  had 
floated  some  distance  down  stream,  my  head  being 
under  water  a  part  of  the  time.  Recollecting  that  I 
must  not  breathe  under  water,  I  did  not  strangle,  and 
soon  recovered  myself  and  reached  the  shore.     Mr. 


156  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

Stoddard,  on  seeing  me  going  down  stream,  sprang 
from  his  horse  to  help  me  ;  upon  which  his  horse 
immediately  commenced  quarrelling  with  Mrs.  Stod- 
dard's. She  sprang  from  her  horse,  but  her  riding- 
dress  causrht  on  the  saddle,  and  for  a  moment  she 
was  in  a  most  perilous  condition.  But  her  riding- 
skirt,  being  of  thin  material,  gave  wa^^  and  she  was 
thus  saved.  The  horses,  being  loose,  ran  about  us  in 
anofer,  as  if  determined  to  do  us  harm.  But  we  were 
mercifully  preserved  from  them.  Mr.  Stoddard  came 
ap  just  as  I  got  out  of  the  water,  and,  seeing  it  would 
be  in  vain  to  try  to  secure  the  horses,  we  set  out  for 
home  in  our  drenched  state.  We  were  pitiable  ob- 
jects, I  can  assure  you,  as  we  entered  the  city.  I 
had  not  a  dry  thread  in  my  clothing,  and  my  head 
felt  as  if  it  had  had  a  most  thorough  inside  as  well 
as  outside  washing.  But  1  find  that  I  suffered  no 
harm  from  it,  except  something  of  a  bruising  from 
the  stones  in  the  river.  Surely  the  Lord  was  my 
keeper,  and  not  mine  alone,  but  of  all  our  company." 
As  the  term  was  drawing  to  a  close,  Mi^ss  Fiske 
thus  speaks  of  her  efforts  and  her  success  in  making 
her  school  what  she  desired  it  to  become  :  "  I  have 
been  able  this  year  to  reduce  my  school  to  a  much 
more  orderly  state  than  last  year,  although  it  is  yet 
far  from  what  I  would  have  it.  The  want  of  con- 
science in  many  of  the  girls  has  led  me  to  forbear 
brinofino:  them  to  a  strict  account.  But  from  month 
to  month  I  can  see  an  advance  in  conscientiousness, 
,  ..u  have  little  by  little  brought  them  to  give  some 
-►.count  of  themselves  daily.  The  questions  I  ask 
are  these,  'Have  you  combed  your  heads  to-day?' 
'Have  you  been  in  the    boys'  yard?'      'Have  you 


CLOSE   OF   SCHOOL.  157 

been  to  the  boys'  room  ? '  *  Were  you  present  at 
prayers?'  'Were  you  late  at  prayers?'  'Have 
you  all  of  your  knitting-needles?'  'Have  you  spit 
on  the  floor?'  '  Have  you  chewed  gura?'  (They 
have  a  bad  practice  of  always  having  their  mouths 
tilled  with  gum.)  It  is  seldom,  now,  that  I  have  a 
faihn-e  on  any  of  these  points.  I  shall  soon  add  to 
these,  'making  communications  in  school.'  I  have 
hardly  dared  to  do  so  yet,  lest  they  should  be  tempted 
to  depart  from  the  truth." 

The  second  year  of  the  seminary  closed  June  5th. 
On  that  day  a  simple  entertainment,  prepared  in  the 
native  style,  was  given  to  the  parents  and  friends  of 
the  pupils  in  both  the  male  and  female  seminaries. 
Several  hundred  were  present.  Of  the  occasion. 
Miss  Fiske  thus  writes  the  next  day  :  "  The  gentle- 
men of  the  mission  ate  in  one  room  with  the  men 
and  boys,  and  the  ladies  in  another  with  the  women  and 
girls.  It  was  gratifying  to  us  all  to  see  the  apparent 
confidence  reposed  in  us,  and  the  kind  feeling  mani- 
fested by  those  present.  Most  of  the  chilolren  left 
us  last  night,  evidently  pleased  to  go  to  their  homes 
for  a  short  time,  but  with  no  wish  to  remain  away 
permanently.  We  deem  it  important  that  they  be 
happy  both  with  their  parents  and  with  us.  I  feel 
more  and  more  the  desirableness  of  frequently  allow- 
ing onr  pupils  to  spend  a  few  days  with  their  friends. 
They  thus  have  an  opportunity  of  showing  what  edu- 
cation is  doing  for  them,  and  of  gaining  for  us  the 
confidence  of  their  parents.  Most  of  the  girls  carried 
home  with  them  a  copy  of  the  gospels  in  modern 
Syriac,  which  they  had  paid  for  with  their  needles 
durinor  the  leisure  hours  of  the  last  few  weeks.     We 


158  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

also  presented  each  of  them  with  a  copy  of  the 
'Dairyman's  Daughter,'  which  has  recently  been 
printed  in  Syriac.  I  never  so  much  realized  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  this  little  work  as  since  I  have  seen 
its  effects  on  the  Nestorian  mind.  Many  mothers 
brought  their  inflmt  daughters  to  me  yesterday,  say- 
ing, '  These  are  yours.  We  give  them  to  you  that 
you  may  teach  them. '  Oh,  may  I  live  and  have  the 
privilege  of  teaching  them  the  way  to  heaven  !  Were 
I  at  Holyoke  I  should  say,  '  I  am  very  busy  shutting 
up  house. ' " 


A   SABBATH    AT    GEOG   TAP  A.  159 


CHAPTER  X. 

JUNE,    1845,    TO   JUNE,    1846. 

A  Sabbath  at  Geog  Tapa. — School-rooms  Enlarged. — Visit  to  Ada  and 
Gavalan. — First  Revival  — Prayerfulnoss  of  the  Converts. — Interest  ia 
the  Monthly  Concert.  —  ThoAYoman  tvho  could  not  Pray.  —  Interest  in 
Geog  Tapa.  —  Influence  of  the  Revival  on  the  Minds  and  Manners  of  the 
Girls.  —  Sketches  of  Sarah,  Hannah,  and  Dea.  Gewergis. 

Early  in  her  summer  vacation  of  1845,  MissFiske 
spent  a  Saljbath  at  Geog  Tapa,  and  found  many  of 
the  women  who,  on  former  visits,  cared  to  talk  only 
a1)out  dress,  now  eager  to  hear  the  Avord  of  God  and 
to  converse  about  their  souls.  The  day,  though  filled 
with  exhausting  labors,  greatly  cheered  and  refreshed 
her  spirits,  and  inspired  her  with  a  more  confident 
hope  that  a  brighter  day  was  already  dawnr>ig  on  the 
degraded  women  of  Persia. 

About  the  20th  of  June  she  removed  to  Seir,  tak- 
ing with  her  five  of  her  pupils,  whom  she  hoped  to 
retain  during  the  vacation  ;  but  the  state  of  her  health 
soon  compelled  her  to  dismiss  them  all. 

The  constantly  increasing  number  of  pupils  in  the 
seminary  rendering  enlarged  accommodations  desira- 
ble, the  mission  placed  at  Miss  Fiske's  disposal  the 
house  of  Mr.  Merrick-  To  adapt  it  to  its  new  use,  it 
was  necessary  to  make  e.^teusive  alterations,  which 
she  superintendod,  surprising  and  amusing  her  asso- 
ciates by  tbe  architectural  skill  and  good  practical 


160  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

judgment  which  she  evinced,  and  the  tact  with  which 
she  managed  the  native  masons  and  carpenters  em- 
ployed on  the  work.  Of  this  change  she  thus 
speaks : — 

"I  have  had  but  one  room  (except  a  small  room 
for  cooking)  for  my  school  exercises  and  for  the  girls' 
eating  and  sleeping.  This  has  kept  my  own  room 
tilled  with  classes  or  visitors,  so  that  it  has  been  diffi- 
cult for  me  to  find  any  opportunity  for  ventilation,  or 
for  rest  and  retirement,  from  before  light  till  late  at 
nio-ht.  I  have  never  kept  a  bed  made  up  in  it,  but 
have  at  night  prepared  one  on  a  kind  of  sofa  frame, 
used  for  a  seat.  Now,  I  have  a  large  room  for  the 
prayers  of  the  school,  and  for  the  reception  of  com- 
pany ;  also  a  small  sleeping-room  for  myself,  and 
three  small  rooms  for  my  school.  I  trust  that  every 
convenience  will  add  to  my  usefulness.  I  look  for- 
ward to  the  coming  winter  with  an  overwhelming 
feeling  of  responsibility.  Oh,  shall  my  dear  pupils 
this  year  become  Christians  !  I  can  never  forget  how 
much  interest  Bro.  Stoddard  felt  in  the  new  itrrange- 
ment,  nor  how  he  came  into  the  best  room,  and, 
firmly  planting  his  foot,  said  :  '  May  this  room  be 
wJiolly  consecrated  to  the  Lord  ! '  We  prayed  that  it 
mi"-ht  be,  befin-e  it  was  furnished,  and  it  was  the  room 
where,  during  the  following  January,  there  was  such 
a  marked  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Writing  to  a  friend,  October  23d,  she  says  :  — 
"You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  my  school  is  reas- 
sembled for  the  year.  I  do  not  think  the  fond  mother 
more  anxiously  longs  for  the  return  of  a  loved  absent 
child  than  I  do  for  the  return  of  my  deatvones.  It 
would  have  done  you  good  to  see  the  pleasure  de- 


RELIGIOUS    INTEREST.  161 

picted  on  their  countenances  as  they  again  entered 
our  dwelling.  As  we  are  crowded,  and  obliged  to 
refuse  many  applicants,  we  insist  that  none  but  those 
perfectly  happy  with  us  and  willing  to  abide  by  our 
every  rule  shall  remain  with  us.  Selby  is  not  with  us 
this  year.  We  hoped  to  have  her  here,  and  her  heart 
was  strongly  set  on  coming,  but  her  avaricious  ftither- 
in~law  demanded  such  pay  for  her  services  that  we 
could  not  think  of  employing  her.  I  feel  deeply  for 
this  lamb  of  Jesus  (for  such  I  believe  she  is)  in  her 
seclusion  from  Christian  society.  But  the  Lord  knows 
his  own,  and  will  keep  them  to  the  end.  In  her  place 
I  have  a  young  deacon  of  good  abilities,  but  who 
gives  no  evidence  of  piety.  Pray  for  him  that  he  may 
become  the  Lord's.  Perhaps  the  Lord  has  designs 
of  mercy  towards  him,  and  for  this  reason  has  brought 
him  to  us. 

"It  is  exceedingly  gratifying  to  see  that  our  pupils 
have  not  lost  their  religious  iutei-est  during?  their  ab- 
sence.  The  last  sound  that  falls  from  their  lips  at 
evening  is  the  voice  of  prayer.  They  retire  to  their 
rooms  for  the  night  about  eight  o'clock  ;  after  a  few 
moments  we  ring  a  bell  for  their  lis^hts  to  be  extin- 
guished,  and  for  them  to  cease  speaking  one  to  an- 
other. After  this,  often  five  or  six  are  known  to 
engage  in  audible  prayer.  There  is  something  affect- 
ing to  me,  as  I  pass  by  their  door,  in  hearing  their 
supplications  and  in  remembering  that  Jesus  hears  the 
infant's  prayer,  if  offered  aright. 

"I  often  feel  obliged  to  seek  ray  pillow  before  nine 

o'clock,  having  no  time  to  rest  during  the  day.     I 

never  looked  upon  my  school  with  a  deeper  feeling 

of  responsibility  than  I  now  do.     Oh,  may  it  be,  not 

U 


162  FAITH   WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

onlv  what  its  patrons  in  America,  but  also  what  the 
Lord,  would  have  it  be  !  " 

A  few  days  after  the  opening  of  her  school,  Miss 
Fiske,  still  eager  to  do  good  in  every  possible  way  to 
the  women  in  the  villages,  made  an  excursion  with 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Perkins  to  Ada  and  Gavalan.  In  the 
latter  they  spent  the  Sabbath,  and  she  thus  speaks  of 
the  day  :  — 

"  Mr.  Perkins  preached  to  a  congregacion  including 
almost  every  person  in  the  village.  After  the  meet- 
ing some  twenty-five  girls  gathered  about  me  in  the 
open  field  for  instruction.  Oh,  how  did  my  heart 
bleed  for  the  poor  ignorant  creatures  !  I  inquired  of 
them  why  the  Sabbath  was  given  them.  They  re- 
plied, '  To  sit  still.'  '  But,'  I  asked,  '  was  it  given  for 
no  other  purpose  ? '  '  What  else  can  we  do  ? '  they 
replied  ;  '  we  cannot  read,  and  there  is  no  one  to  read 
to  us.'  I  felt  it  to  be  an  unspeakable  privilege,  for 
once,  to  tell  these  poor  ones  of  their  sins,  and  of  the 
Saviour  who  died  for  them.  We  left  Gavalan  early 
Monday  morning,  and,  after  a  long  and  tiresqme  ride, 
reached  home  at  evening.  I  feel  that  I  derived  much 
benefit  from  the  excursion,  getting  renewed  strength 
for  my  school." 

The  year  1846  Avas  a  memorable  year  in  the  history 
of  the  Nestorian  mission.  It  witnessed  the  first  of 
that  series  of  extensive  and  remarkable  revivals  of  re- 
lio;ion  with  which  that  mission  has  been  so  signally 


"O 


blessed.  Years  of  toil  and  prayer  were  rewarded 
with  an  abundant  harvest.  Up  to  this  time  the  num- 
ber of  conversions  had  been  small.  Much  had  been 
done  for  the  general  education  and  the  religious  in- 
struction of  the  people  ;  but  all  this  fell  short  of  that 


FIRST   REVIVAL.  163 

higher  spiritual  work  to  which  all  truly  missionary 
effort  is  ultimately  directed.  As  the  husbandmap 
waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth,  so  that 
band  of  devoted  missionaries  in  Persia  waited  in 
earnest  desire  and  strong  hope  for  the  time  of  the 
inojatherino:  of  souls. 

Durinor  the  autumn  of  1845  there  were  some  slisrht 
indications  of  increasinE:  relisfious  interest  amonff  the 
pupils  of  both  seminaries  ;  but  not  until  the  following 
January  did  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  become  deep 
and  general.  The  account  of  this  revival  will  be 
given,  as  far  as  possible,  in  Miss  Fiske's  own  words. 
The  first  Monday  of  the  new  year  was  observed  by 
the  mission  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer.  "  We 
had  spoken,"  says  Miss  F.,  "of  passing  that  day  in 
'wrestling  for  souls.'  But  we  had  only  begun  to 
seeh^  not  to  ivreslle,  when  we  learned  that  souls  were 
pleading  for  themselves.  I  went  into  my  school  as 
usual,  at  nine  o'clock,  and,  after  telling  the  pupils 
that  many  prayers  would,  that  day,  be  offered  for 
them  by  friends  far  away,  I  prayed  with  them,  and 
then  asked  them  to  retire  to  another  room,  where 
they  would  study  with  a  native  teacher.  All  but  two 
passed  out.  As  these  two  lingered,  I  said  :  'Did  you 
understand  me  ? '  They  came  nearer,  and  I  saw  that 
they  were  in  tears.  'Have  you  heard  bad  news?'  I 
inquired.  They  gave  no  answer ;  but,  coming  still 
nearer,  whispered,  '  May  we  have  to-day  to  care  for 
our  souls?'  .  One  of  them  (Sarah)  adding,  'Perhaps, 
next  year,  I  shall  not  be  here'  I  had  no  private 
room  or  closet  to  give  them,  but  the  dear  children 
would  find  a  place.  They  went  to  the  wood-cellar, 
and,  taking  sticks  of  wood,  made  their  own  closets ; 


164  FAITH   WOEKING   BY   LOVE. 

and  there  they  spent  that  cold  day,  seeking  the  for- 
giveness of  sin.  Nor  did  they  seek  in  vain;  they 
were  soon  trusting  in  Christ,  and  we  were  led  to  hope 
for  yet  greater  blessings." 

"Monday,  the  19th,  there  were  such  marked  in- 
dications of  interest  in  my  school,  that  I  asked  those 
who  felt  that  they  must  now  care  for  their  souls  to 
come  to  my  room  at  five  o'clock.  I  had  been  out  of 
my  school  but  a  few  minutes,  when  I  found  that  a 
number  of  the  girls  had  sought  places  of  prayer. 
While  asking  for  wisdom  to  guide  the  dear  children, 
Mr.  Stoddard  came  to  the  door,  and  said,  'I  cannot 
stop,  but  I  want  you  to  know  that  four  or  five  of  my 
boys  are  much  distressed  on  account  of  their  sins. 
How  our  hearts  went  up  to  Heaven  in  thanksgiving 
at  that  hour ;  and  how  were  they  filled  with  trembling 
and  anxiety!  I  turned  away  from  Mr.  S.,  to  meet 
five  of  my  girls,  who  seemed  to  feel  deeply  their  sin- 
fulness. I  cannot  well  describe  the  scenes  of  that 
week.  One  after  another  bowed  under  a  sense  of 
sin.  Every  place  was  occupied  for  praye*.  We 
could  hardly  command  our  own  rooms  long  enough 
to  bend  the  knee  therein ;  while  we  were  glad  to 
write,  on  all  around  us,  'Immauuel,  Immanuel ! ' 
The  two  schools  hardly  knew  anything  of  each  other's 
condition  till  Friday,  when  they  met  in  the  usual 
weekly  prayer-meeting,  in  the  room  which  Mr.  Stod- 
dard had  asked  might  be  *  wholly  consecrated  to  the 
Lord  forever.'  We  felt  that  evening  that  the  room 
was  no  longer  ours,  but  the  Lord's,  and  we  all  wanted 
it  to  be  his  forever.  The  boys  sat  on  one  side,  and 
the  girls  on  the  other ;  and  I  never  saw  a  company 
that  seemed  more  fully  impressed  with  eternal  reali- 


PRAYERFULNESS  OF  THE  CONVERTS.     165 

ties.  The  careless  ones  had  stayed  away,  and  those 
present  were  earnest  seekers.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
Mr.  Stocking  and  Mr.  Stoddard  were  Heaven-inspired 
that  niglit,  as  they  spoke  of  sin,  and  of  Him  who 
saves  from  sin.  Souls  were  born  there  ;  and  we  do 
not  wonder  that  many  of  our  native  friends  think  the 
place  a  Bethel. 

"  For  three  weeks  after  the  revival  commenced  we 
had  but  little  company.  The  time  seemed  to  be 
given  us  to  labor  expressly  for  our  pupils,  and  it 
was  to  us  like  one  continued  Sabbath.  Every  place 
in  our  house  was  consecrated  by  prayer,  and  all  our 
work  was  for  souls. 

"At  the  end  of  three  weeks,  Nestorians  from  with- 
out began  to  flock  around  us,  and  now  our  dear  pu- 
pils were  true  helpers.  I  often  had  as  many  as  ten 
or  fifteen  women  to  pass  the  night  with  us.  Then  I 
used  to  gather  together  all  the  spare  pillows,  cush- 
ions, and  quilts  in  the  house,  and  make  our  sitting- 
room  one  great  dormitory.  I  often  stayed  with  them 
till  midnight,  and  then,  from  my  room,  heard  them 
pray  all  night.  I  love  to  remember  those  nights  of 
watching  with  the  Lord  Jesus  for  those  precious 
souls.  Oh,  how  easy  it  is  to  watch  when  he  is  with 
us  ! 

"  Two  months  after  the  first  cases  of  interest  oc- 
curred, we  gave  our  pupils  a  vacation.  Mr.  Stod- 
dard calls  our  last  meetings  with  them  '  Thanksgiv- 
ings.' As  they  left  us,  they  said,  'Pray  for  us  !  pray 
for  us  ! '  I  remember  that  one  little  girl  said,  'Did 
you  ever  see  a  new-born  lamb  cast  into  the  snow 
and  live?'  Thank  God,  most  ot  them  did  live,  and 
we  trust  are  to  live  forever." 


166  FAITH   WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

Extracts  from  other  letters,  written  at  the  time, 
will  give  further  details  of  this  interestini;  work  of 
grace  and  its  results.  To  two  of  the  teachers  at  Mt. 
Holyoke  Seminary,  she  thus  writes  :  — 

"Oroomiah,  Feb.  28,  1846. 

"  My  very  dear  Sister  :  —  The  week  on  which  my 
last  letter  to  you  Avas  closed,  was  one  of  most  striking 
demonstrations  of  God's  Spirit  in  the  conviction  of  sin- 
ners. On  Saturday  and  the  Sabbath  almost  the  whole 
school  seemed  affected.  The  close  contiguity  into 
which  they  were  thrown  led  me  to  feel  that  while 
there  was  no  doubt  of  the  Spirit's  presence,  there  was 
also  much  of  animal  excitement  among  the  younger 
ones.  To  avoid  this,  we  separated  them  as  much  as 
possible  one  from  another,  recommended  them  not  to 
speak  at  all  to  one  another,  and  gave  them  much  time 
to  be  alone  with  their  God.  Those  deeply  affected 
were  soon  manifest,  and  in  our  conversation  and 
prayers  with  and  for  them,  we  sought  to  show  them 
the  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  their  utter  alienation 
from  God,  and  their  need  of  a  change  of  heart,  and 
thus  lead  them  to  the  sinner's  only  Friend.  From 
that  time  to  the  present,  the  interest  has  increased  ; 
and  now  there  are  only  two  in  the  school  over  ten 
years  of  age  (including  more  than  half  the  school), 
who  have  not  been  deeply  affected.  Many  of  these 
appear  to  be  true  Christians.  Time  alone  can  show 
the  genuineness  of  their  conversion.  But  I  do  believe 
that  God  is  gathering  to  himself  a  precious  band 
here.  Several  under  ten  years  of  age  have  appeared 
to  be  deeply  convicted  of  sin,  and  seem  now  to  love 


PRAYERFULNESS  OF  THE  CONVERTS.      1^7 

Him  who  delights  to  take  little  children  in  his  arms 
and  bless  them. 

"  Dear  children  I  I  watch  over  them  with  the  great- 
est anxiety,  feeling  that  at  every  step  I  hear  my 
Saviour's  voice  saying,  '  Feed  my  lambs.'  Their  con- 
fidence in  us,  and  their  natural  frankness,  lead  them 
to  be  exceedingly  free  in  expressing  their  feelings.  I 
am  often  awaked  in  the  morning  by  a  dear  child 
standing  at  my  bedside  with  some  inquiiy  in  regard 
to  the  way  of  life.  Their  freedom  renders  it  a  de- 
lightful, and,  at  the  same  time,  a  responsible  task  to 
guide  them.  Oh,  do  pray  for  me,  that  I  may  be 
guided  aright !  I  never  felt  so  weak,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  such  tremendous  responsibilities  resting 
upon  me. 

"  Prayerfulnesshas  thus  far  been  strikingly  exhibited 
in  those  hopefully  converted.  They  love  their  closets, 
and  it  is  one  of  their  greatest  trials  that  they  cannot 
have  a  closet  as  they  wish.  I  have  many  little  meet- 
ings for  prayer  with  them.  It  is  delightful  at  such 
hours  to  hear  those  who  have  but  just  begu?i  to  love 
the  Lord,  pleading  for  entire  consecration  to  him, 
and  also,  with  the  deepest  apparent  feeling,  wrestliug 
for  their  impenitent  friends.  Can  it  be,  I  often  think 
at  such  times,  that  these  are  iudeed  sisters  in  Christ, 
redeemed  by  his  blood,  and  heirs  of  heaven  !  If  so, 
what  an  inroad  has  been  made  on  Satan's  kino;dom  ! 
God  has  brought  to  pass  in  a  day  what  years  of  man's 
labor  could  never  eflect.  To  his  name  we  will  give 
the  glorj'. 

"I  spent  yesterday  in  Geog  Tapa,  in  a  most  inter- 
esting manner.  You  may  wonder  that  I  should  leave 
my  school  for  a  day.     Could  other  ladies  have  gone 


168  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

out  to  look  after  our  lost  sisters,  I  should  huve  felt 
sure  that  it  was  my  duty  to  remaiu  at  home  ;  but,  as 
they  could  not,  I  felt  equally  sure  that  it  was  my  duty 
to  go;  so  I  went  forth,  committing  my  flock  to  Is- 
rael's Shepherd  ;  and,  with  such  a  Keeper,  and  under 
such  circumstances,  you  will  not  be  surprised  to  know 
that  they  had  an  interesting  day.  I  found  them  all 
quiet  and  prayerful  when  I  returned.  Sixteen  women 
from  diflierent  villages  had  been  in  for  the  purpose  of 
religious  inquiry  during  my  absence.  The  older 
girls,  feeling  that  they  must  take  my  place,  took  each 
of  those  by  the  hand,  and  conversed  and  prayed  with 
them.  Our  intercourse  with  the  women  is  becom- 
ing very  extended  through  the  medium  of  our  school. 
One's  whole  time  might  be  profitably  devoted  to  such 
labors  without  doing  anything  for  the  school." 

"  Oroomiah,  Persia,  March  31. 

"My  dearly  beloved  Sister  :  — Our  school  is  so 
changed  that  we  can  hardly  realize  it  is  our  school. 
We  often  pause  to  ask  ourselves,  is  it  poas^iI)le  that 
those,  whose  voices  we  now  hear  in  prayer  and  praise 
from  morn  till  night,  are  the  same  individuals  over 
whom  we  mourned  three  months  since  as 'dead  in 
trespasses  and  sin'?  What  has  the  Lord  wrought! 
Oh!  I  want  to  love  him  more  and  serve  him  better. 

"  Our  pupils  promptly  returned  at  the  close  of  our 
vacation,  and  apparently  feeling  more  deeply  than 
when  they  left  us.  I  know  you  delight  in  quiet  re- 
turns after  vacations.  I  wish  you  could  have  seen 
my  school  return  last  Friday.  You  would  not  have 
supposed  an  individual  was  in  the  house.  Many  burst 
into  tears  as  they  again  met  their  companions  ;  l)ut  all 


J»RArERFULNESS    OF   THE    CONVERTS.  169 

Was  perfectly  quiet.  The  closets  were  all  immedi- 
ately filled  with  these  praying  souls,  and  remained  so 
until  the  hour  for  retiring. 

"  In  nine  villages  besides  Geog  Tapa  there  are  from 
one  to  four  or  five  individuals  for  whom  we  hope. 
Most  of  these  persons  have  been  first  awakened  by 
visitino^  our  schools,  and  seeinijthe  tears,  and  hcarinij: 
the  penitential  confessions  of  our  pupils  in  i  rayer 
before  God,  and  several  have  here  hoped  that  they 
found  the  sinner's  friend.  I  think  that  an  individual 
now  seldom  comes  into  our  yard  without  being  urged 
to  repentance,  and  prayed  with  by  several  individuals. 
These  dear  young  Christians  seem  to  have  no  dispo- 
sition to  go  to  heaven  alone,  and  while  we  can  see 
them  humble  and  prayerful,  we  feel  no  desire  to 
check  them  in  their  labors  of  love.  I  trust  that  they 
inherit  the  same  faith  and  will  abound  in  the  same 
self-denying  labors  which  led  their  fathers  to  plant 
the  standard  of  the  cross  among  the  snows  of  Tartary, 
amidst  the  burning  sands  of  India,  on  China's  inhos- 
pitable shore,  and  among  the  Eastern  isles.    "^ 

"  You  will  rejoice  to  hear  that  there  is  much  inter- 
est among  the  middle-aged  females  here.  Three  of 
the  girls'  mothers  we  hope  love  the  Saviour ;  others 
are  interested.  I  find  my  labors  almost  as  much  out 
of  school  as  in.  I  long  for  one  of  Holyoke's  daugh- 
ters to  help  me  in  this  very  interesting  work.  My 
own  health  is  very  good,  and  I  am  happy  in  my 
labors.  Oh,  why  was  it  given  to  me  to  labor  here, 
and  others,  so  much  better,  denied  the  privilege?" 

The  prayerfulness  of  the  converts  has  already  been 
alluded  to.     With  reference  to  this,  Miss  Fiske  fur- 


170  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

ther  writes :  "  Twice  or  even  thrice  a  day  does  not 
suffice  for  communion  with  their  heavenly  Father. 
They  want  to  be  much  at  the  mercy-seat,  and  many 
of  them  spend  hours  every  day  there.  I  often  -ee 
three  or  four  sitting  by  a  closet,  with  tearful  eyes, 
that  they  may  be  the  first  to  enter  when  the  place  is 
vacated.  How  do  I  then  sigh  for  those  closets  in 
America  where  a  prayer  was  never  ofiered ! 

"  If  they  do  not  pray  several  times  a  day,  they  feel 
that  they  are  becoming  very  cold-hearted.  To-day, 
as  they  were  going  out  to  walk,  one  of  them,  who, 
perhaps,  had  not  prayed  for  three  hours,  felt  that  she 
could  not  go  until  she  could  have  a  few  moments  alone. 
I  have  the  whole  school  divided  into  little  circles  of 
five  or  six  each,  and  have  a  prayer-meeting  with  one 
circle  every  day.  These  are  precious  seasons  to  me, 
and  I  trust  to  them  also. 

"  One  night  the  girls  of  the  school,  while  walking 
with  their  teacher,  came  to  a  grove,  when  one  of  them 
said,  '  See,  here  is  a  grove  ;  what  doth  hinder  us  to 
be  praying  ? '  So  they  scattered  in  different  parts  of 
the  grove  and  all  prayed." 

Under  date  of  April  13th,  she  writes :  "  Last 
monthly  concert-day  was  a  most  interesting  day  to 
our  pious  natives.  We  have,  heretofore,  had  so  few 
praying  souls  about  us  that  our  service  has  generally 
been  for  imparting  instruction  rather  than  for  prayer. 
But  now  we  could  but  feel  it  a  privilege  to  unite  with 
dear  native  friends  in  supplications  for  a  dying  world. 
Never  did  I  hear  more  feeling  prayers,  than  I  heard 
on  this  day,  for  the  coming  of  Christ's  kingdom. 
My  girls,  not  satisfied  with  the  public  services,  wished 
for  another  concert   among  themselves.      Oh,  what 


THE   MONTHLY    CONCERT.  171 

supplications  did  I  hear  from  their  lips  until  the  sun 
went  down  !  I  felt  that  I  was  near  to  heaven,  or  at 
least  that  the  Icingdom  of  heaven  had  come  near  to 
us.  They  could  only  be  persuaded  to  leave  their 
meeting  by  a  promise  of  a  similar  meeting  there  the 
next  day.  With  this  promise  they  left  for  their 
closets,  there  to  supplicate  Israel's  God  ;  and  the  next 
day  found  them  in  their  meeting,  praying  for  the  sal- 
vation of  souls  ;  so  that  the  sun,  having  run  its  course, 
and  witnessed  the  concerts  of  prayer  on  all  sides  of 
the  globe,  found  a  continued  one  here." 

Miss  Fiske  often  went  to  Geog  Tapa  for  a  day,  to 
labor  among  the  women,  and  to  rejoice  in  seeing  the 
same  fruits  of  the  Spirit  there,  which  had  so  gladdened 
her  heart  in  the  city.  She  thus  writes.  May  19th: 
"The  general  aspect  of  the  village  is  much  changed. 
Almost  all  who  have  come  to  years  of  discretion  give 
good  outward  attention  to  the  preached  gospel,  and 
not  a  small  number,  we  hope,  are  truly  and  anxiously 
inquiring  for  the  way  of  life.  It  is  difficult  to  speak 
definitely  of  probable  results  among  such  a  people. 
But  we  hope  that  as  many  as  fifty  have  become  Chris- 
tians, some  from  all  classes.  Quite  a  number  of 
ecclesiastics,  formerly  intemperate  and  profane,  ap- 
pear now  to  be  humbly  sitting  at  Jesus'  feet.  Poor, 
degraded  women  have  been  made  free  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Many  laboring  men,  who,  a  few  weeks  since,  seemed 
almost  as  ignorant  as  the  beasts  they  followed  at  the 
plough,  are  now  intelligent  Christians,  With  their 
spades  in  their  hands  they  now  preach  Christ  and  him 
crucified,  from  morning  until  night ;  and  the  fields 
and  vineyards  are  made  vocal  with  their  prayers  and 
praises.     I  often  spend  a  day  there,  with  Christian 


172  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

sisters;  and  I  need  hardly  tell  you  that  this  work 
has  bound  me  more  closely  than  ever  to  my  Persian 
home.  I  feel  it  a  great  privilege  to  labor  here  ;  and 
here,  I  hope,  if  it  be  my  Father's  will,  to  make  my 
grave  ;  and  from  here,  with  many  dear  ones  in  Christ 
Jesus,  to  go  up  to  meet  the  Lord,  when  the  final 
trump  shall  sound." 

The  labor  connected  with  such  a  revival,  however 
delightful,  is  very  exhausting.  Miss  Fiske  found 
herself,  in  June,  too  much  worn  to  continue  her  school 
duties.  The  school  was  accordingly  dismissed  for  the 
summer.  "  We  feared,"  she  writes,  during  the  vaca- 
tion, "the  effects  of  their  long  absence  from  us  ;  but 
as  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  learn,  those  hopefully 
pious  are  walking  as  becomcth  Christians.  i\Iany  of 
them  are  very  diligent  in  their  Master's  service, 
being  missionaries  indeed,  doing,  as  we  believe,  more 
than  we  could  ourselves  do  for  their  poor  people." 

The  permanent  effect  of  this  revival  on  the  gen- 
eral deportment  of  the  scholars  was  marked  and 
gratifying.  They  became  more  gentle,  affci^tionate, 
and  tractable.  Faults  which  their  teacher  had  long 
labored  in  vain  to  correct  almost  entirely  disap- 
peared. "God  made  me  feel  my  utter  helplessness, 
and  then  he  did  the  work,"  writes  Miss  Fiske.  Steal- 
ing and  lying,  to  which  they  had  been  addicted,  were 
afterwards  of  rare  occurrence.  Great  tenderness  of 
conscience  was  manifested ;  sins  of  which  they  had 
not  been  suspected  were  confessed,  stolen  articles 
were  restored.  "Khanee,  one  of  my  girls,"  says 
Miss  Fiske,  "  came  to  me  greatly  troubled,  saying, 
'Do  you  remember  the  day,  when,  two  years  ago, 
Sawdee's  new  shoes  were  taken  from  the  door?  '  I  said 


SARAH,  —  DAUGHTER   OF   PRIEST   ESHOO.         173 

*Yes.*  'You  thought  a  Moslem  woman  took  thom;* 
and  then,  bursting  into  tears,  added,  'but  I  took 
them.  I  was  angry  with  Sawdee,  and  I  threw  them 
into  a  well,  where  no  one  could  get  them.  What 
shall  I  do?  I  know  Jesus  will  not  receive  me  till  I 
have  confessed  it  to  Sawdee.  Can  I  go  and  tell  her 
to-night  and  pray  with  her,  and  then  go  and  work  to 
get  money  to  pay  her  for  the  shoes  ?  '  She  paid  for 
the  shoes,  and  became  a  brisrht  and  shinins^  liorht  in 
her  dark  home.  There  were  many  cases  just  like 
this." 

The  intellects  of  the  girls  seemed  greatly  quickened 
by  grace  in  the  heart.  They  had  better  lessons,  wrote 
better  compositions,  and  were  in  all  respects  better 
scholars,  strikingly  illustrating  the  power  of  the  gos- 
pel, when  received  by  foith,  to  elevate  and  improve 
the  whole  character  and  life. 

Brief  sketches  of  two  or  three  of  the  converts 
will  further  illustrate  the  character  of  this  revival, 
and  will  serve  as  a  fitting  close  to  this  chaptel". 

SARAH, — DAUGHTER    OF    PRIEST   ESHOO. 

Of  the  two  pupils,  who,  as  already  mentioned,  re- 
quested of  their  teacher,  on  the  first  Monday  in  Janu- 
ary, 1846,  peruiission  to  spend  the  day  "  in  caring  for 
their  souls,"  one  was  Sarah ;  or,  as  the  Nestorians 
pronounce  it,  Sarra.  Miss  Fiske's  own  pen  has  fur- 
nished the  following  account  of  this  lovely  child:  — 

"  Sarah  was  a  tall,  dark-eyed  girl  of  twelve  or  thir- 
teen years,  when  she  first  came  to  my  school.  We 
had  few  books  except  the  Bible,  and  so  our  pupils- 
studied  that  most  of  the  time.     Sarah  learned   her 


174  FAITH  WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

Bible  well,  and  could  repeat  large  portions  of  it,  and 
tell  all  its  stories.  I  could  scarcely  ask  her  to  find  a 
text,  to  which  she  would  not  turn  at  once.  I  called 
her  my  concordance.  But  she  did  not  learn  that  she 
was  a  sinner  till  January,  1846.  She  was  the  first 
at  that  time  to  ask  the  way  to  heaven,  the  first  to 
find  the  way,  and  the  first  to  enter  heaven.  She  lived 
just  five  months  after  she  said  to  me,  on  that  first 
Monday  in  January,  'Perhaps  next  year  I  shall  not 
be  here.'  Only  a  few  days  after  her  conversion,  her 
father  said,  '  Sarah  knows  the  way  to  heaven  better 
than  I  do.'  He  never  felt  that  his  'daily  bread'  had 
been  given  him,  unless  he  had  knelt  with  the  deal 
child  in  prayer,  and  been  carried  to  heaven  by  her 
petitions  as  well  as  his  own.  Mr.  Stocking  used  to 
enjoy  conversing  with  her  very  much.  He  often 
said,  'If  I  want  to  write  a  good  sermon,  I  like  to  sit 
down  first  and  talk  with  Sarah,  and  then  be  sure  that 
she  is  praying  for  me.'  You  can  easily  imagine  that 
it  was  a  most  delightful  privilege  to  watch  over  the 
dear  jjirl  as  she  was  nearino:  heaven.  We  would  sit 
for  an  hour  at  a  time,  and  talk  of  the  home  of  the 
blest,  while  she,  seeming  to  see  its  glories,  would 
sing,  'It  will  be  good  to  be  there  ; '  then  her  thoughts 
would  turn  to  perishing  souls  around  her,  and  she 
would  say,  '  But  I  would  labor  a  little  longer  for 
them,  if  it  be  my  Father's  will.'  I  never  knew  a 
young  person  more  anxious  to  save  souls.  She  was 
very  feeble  at  the  time  of  her  conversion,  but  she 
would  work  for  Christ.  The  girls,  and  women  too, 
always  loved  to  have  Sarah  tell  them  '  the  way.'  They 
would  say,  'AA  e  can  see  it  when  she  tells  us.'  I  do 
not  wonder  that  they  saw  it,  for  she  seemed  to  see  it 


SARAH, — DAUGHTER   OF   riai:ST   ESHOO.         175 

all  the  time.  I  depended  upon  her  so  much,  that  1 
doubt  not  I  let  her  do  more  than  she  was  able  to  do. 
As  early  as  March  we  felt  that  she  must  die,  and  she 
realized  it  herself.  But  she  clung  to  her  school  and 
did  not  leave  it  till  May,  although  she  passed  her 
nights  at  her  home,  which  was  close  by.  She  would 
be  in  our  meetings,  even  when  it  was  necessary  for 
some  one  to  aid  her  in  reaching  the  chapel.  Her 
emaciated  form,  and  hollow  cough,  and  eye  bright 
with  a  lustre  not  its  own,  all  told  that  she  was  about 
to  go  from  us ;  and  I  have  sometimes  heard  those 
young  disciples  say,  as  she  took  her  seat  in  the  house 
of  God,  'Have  we  not  an  Elizabeth  Wallbridge 
among  us?'  Never,  perhaps,  was  a  young  Christian 
eoinor  to  the  ijrave  watched  with  more  interest  than 
was  Sarah.  'Will  her  hope  sustain  her  at  the  last?' 
'  Will  Jesus  stay  by  her  ?  '  '  Will  he  come  for  her  ? ' 
they  asked,  ready  to  test  the  Lord's  faithfulness  by 
the  manner  in  which  he  should  support  this  young 
sister  in  her  trial.  Their  expectation  was  not  disap- 
pointed ;  and,  since  Sarah  died,  the  Xestorialis  have 
looked  upon  death  as  never  before.  Heaven's  gates 
are  wider  opened  to  them ;  and  it  is  to  them  more  a 
blessed  reality  that  Christ  comes  himself  for  his  own. 
"  I  said  that  Sarah  left  us  in  May,  but  she  did  not 
leave  till  we  saw  that  she  must  do  so,  or  take  a  room 
in  our  house.  When  I  told  her,  she  said,  '  I  think  it 
better  for  me  to  go  to  my  father's,  and  stay  there,  but 
I  want  a  little  while  here  before  I  go,  never  to  come 
back  again.'  With  weary  steps  she  bent  her  way  to 
her  closet,  or  rather  the  closet  where  she  gave  her 
heart  to  Christ.  On  reaching  it  she  found  it  occu- 
pied.    She  then   sought  another,  where  she  passed 


176  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

an  hour  in  earnest  pleading,  and  then  came  to  me, 
and  sweetly  said,  'I  am  ready  to  go  now.'  Two 
of  her  companions  accompanied  her,  and  I  can- 
not easily  forget  how  she  stopped  in  the  court 
to  look  back  upon  the  home  where  she  had  found 
her  Saviour.  It  was  her  last  look.  I  watched  her 
as  she  stooped  to  gather  some  of  the  roses  by  her 
pathway,  and  realized  that  my  work  for  her  was  al- 
most done.  She  lingered  till  Jnne,  and  I  saw  her 
almost  every  day,  and  often  found  her  with  her  open 
Bible,  and  several  women  by  her  side,  whom  she  was 
seeking  to  lead  to  Christ.  She  always  wanted  me  to 
pray  with  her,  and  she  would  be  supported  and  wonld 
pray  with  me.  Her  praying  companions  often  had 
meetings  by  her  bedside.  Each  visit  made  me  feel 
that  she  was  getting  nearer  home  ;  yet  she  was  very 
happy.  One  Saturday  it  was  proposed  to  her  father 
to  go  to  Tergawar  and  preach.  He  said,  'I  will  see 
what  Sarah  says.'  The  question  whether  he  shonld 
go  was  asked  as  he  bent  over  her  lowly  couch,  and 
her  answer  was,  'Go,  father,  and  I  will  -i^ray  for 
you.'  The  father  left  on  his  errand  of  love,  and  the 
child  prayed.  The  beautiful  Sabbath  sun  rose,  and 
I  was  by  Sarah's  side.  I  saw  that  she  was  almost 
home,  and  I  told  her  so.  It  was  good  to  commit  the 
happy  soul  once  more  to  Him  wdio  was  ever  near.  I 
was  obliged  to  return  to  my  school ;  but  said  to  her 
mother,  '  Send  for  me  when  the  Master  calls  for  the 
dear  child,  for,  if  I  may  not  go  over  Jordan  with  her 
to-day,  I  wish  to  go  with  her  to  the  swelling  stream.' 
In  the  afternoon,  realizing  that  she  must  soon  go,  and 
forgetting  for  a  moment,  she  said,  'Call  my  father.' 
When   reminded   that  he  had  gone  to  preach,    she 


SARAH,  — DAUGHTER   OF   PRIEST    ESIIOO.  177 

at  once  said,  *0h,  yes,  I  remember;  don't  call  him, 

let  him  preach.    I  can  die  alone.'     She  then  said, 

'Call   Miss  Fiske.'     Her  sister  left  her  side  to   sro 

for  me,  but  the  dying  child  remembered  that  it  was 

the  hour  of  our  prayer-meeting.     So  she  beckoned 

to  her  sister  to  come  again  to  her,  and  said,  '  It  is 

the  hour  when  she  prays  with  my  companions ;  don't 

call  her.     I  can  die  alone.'     So  I  was  not  with  her 

when  she  died.     Had  I  been  by  her  side,  perhaps  she 

would  not  so  clearly  have  seen  the  Lord  Jesus.    Soon 

after  calling  for  me,  she  said,  'Mother,  raise  me,  that 

I  may  commit  my  spirit.'     She  was  raised,  supported 

as  she  had  been  hundreds  of  times  by  her  mother's 

strong  arms,  and  on  the  bended  knee,  with  upraised 

eye,   she  said, 'Lord  Jesus,  receive — '     Here  her 

voice  ceased.     Prayer  was  ended,  and  praise  began. 

In  my  own  room  (the  Bethel)  I  heard  footsteps  on 

the    stairs ;  the  door  opened,  and  one  stood  by  my 

side  with  the  message,  'Sarah  is  asleep.'      I  was  so 

thankful  to  be  told  in  this  way,  for  I  knew  she  was 

not  dead,  but  sleeping  till  Jesus  should  say^  'Arise.' 

Sarah  was  buried  that  same  evenins:,  according:  to  the 

custom  of  the  country.   I  followed  her  to  thegrave  with 

the  whole  school,  and  we  laid  her  very  near  dear  Mrs. 

Grant.     Will  you  wonder  if  I  tell  you  that  I  trod  the 

way  to  that  grave  in  sadness?     The  great  loss  I  had 

sustained  seemed  to  crush  me.     I  realized  that  Sarah 

would    help  me  no   more,  and  when  I  reached  the 

place  I  could  only  look  into  the  grave.     But,  just  as 

the  coffin  was  lowered  I  looked  up,  and  there  was  the 

bright  star  of  evening ;  and  I  seemed  to  hear  a  voice 

saying,  'Thus  your  dear  child  has  risen,  a  bright  star 

in  heaven.'     Then  I  was  glad  she  was  there;  I  was 

12 


178  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

glad  that  the  first  to  love  the  Saviour  was  the  first  to 
s:o  home.  I  love  to  thhik  of  her  as  there,  waitiiio;  for 
US  who  prayed  with  her  ou  earth.  Her  Christian  life 
was  a  short  one,  but  she  did  much,  for  she  taught 
many  how  to  die." 

HANiSTAH,    OF   GEOG   TAPA. 

Miss  Fiske  furnishes  no  connected  sketch  of  this 
beloved  pupil ;  but  the  following  account  is  gathered 
from  several  of  her  letters  written  at  the  time.  Han- 
nah became  a  member  of  the  seminary  in  the  autumn 
of  1845,  and  was  then  about  ten  years  of  age.  She 
was  one  of  the  first  to  become  interested  durinor  the 
revival  of  the  following  spring.  After  her  conversion 
she  often  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  die,  and  be 
with  Jesus,  whom  she  so  loved.  One  moruinof  she 
went  to  her  teacher's  bedside,  and  awoke  her  by  ask- 
ing, "Is  it  wrong  to  wish  to  die?"  "But  why  do 
you  want  to  die?"  her  teacher  inquired.  "That  I 
may  go  and  stay  with  Jesus  and  never  sin  again,*" 
was  her  reply.  "  She  once  came  to  me,"  saj's  Miss 
Fiske,  "  with  a  tearful  eye,  and  said,  'It  seems  to  me 
I  cannot  wait.  I  do  so  want  to  go  to  my  Saviour.' 
Again  she  said, 'I  fear  I  have  sinned  in  not  being 
willing  to  wait  till  Jesus  calls  for  me.'  "  This  desire 
for  an  early  removal  to  heaven  never  left  her.  When 
the  girls  were  arranging  their  things  in  the  school- 
room to  leave  for  a  vacation,  in  the  spring  of  1847, 
one  of  them  very  seriously  said  to  her  companions, 
"  Who  of  us,  do  you  think,  will  never  use  these  things 
again?"  Hannah,  being  present,  replied,  "We  can- 
not know,  but  I  think  that  I  never  shall."  And  when 
her  own  bundle  of  books  was  tied  up  and  laid  away. 


HANNAH,    OF    GEOG   TAPA.  179 

she  said  to  one  of  the  girls,  "  Perhaps  you  will  open 
this ;  I  do  not  think  I  shall.  When  you  come  to- 
^''ether  ao"aiu  in  the  autumn,  I  trust  that  I  shall  be  in 
the  Saviour's  school  above."  Th:^se  words  proved  to 
be  prophetic.  The  Saviour  was  longing  to  fold  this 
lamb  to  his  bosom.  During  the  following  season  the 
cholera  made  fearful  ravages  in  the  cities  and  villages 
of  Persia.  In  September  it  reached  Geog  Tapa, 
where  Hannah  was  spending  her  vacation,  and  she 
was  one  of  its  earliest  victims  there.  The  day  on 
which  she  was  tal^on  sick  she  was  tending  a  vineyard 
(a  common  employment  for  little  girls  of  her  age) 
with  another  little  girl.  Not  feeling  quite  well,  about 
noon,  she  said  to  Guly,  her  conipauiou,  "I  feel  sick, 
and  perhaps  I  shall  die  soon."  "Are  you  willing  to 
die?  "  asked  her  little  friend.  "  Oh,  yes," she  replied  ; 
"  I  do  not  fear  to  die  and  go  to  Jesus."  The  disease 
progressed  rapidly,  and  she  soon  said  to  Guly,  "I  feel 
very  sick ;  I  know  that  I  shall  die  soon.  Shall 
we  not  pray  together  once  more?"  Immediately 
they  knelt  together  in  prayer,  as  they^  perhaps 
had  done  hundreds  of  times  before.  The  sick  one 
was  commended  by  her  young  sister  to  Him  who 
walks  through  the  dark  valley  with  us.  Having  fin- 
ished her  prayer,  she  said,  "Now,  Hannah,  will  you 
pray?"  But  Hannah's  prayers  were  ended.  She 
was  too  sick  to  pray,  except  to  say  in  broken  and 
half  audible  speech,  "Bless  my  dear  sister,  and  take 
me  through  the  dark  river."  Hannah  was  soon  re- 
moved from  the  vineyard  to  the  house.  A  fond  mother 
bent  over  an  only  daughter ;  three  loving  brothers 
over  an  only  sister.  Everything  possible  was  done, 
but  the  fatal  disease  worked   on  unchecked.     As  her 


180  FAITH  WORKIN(i   BV    LO^f;. 

schoolmates  and  friends  gathered  tearfully  about  her, 
she  many  times  assured  them  that  Jesus  was  her  all ; 
and  that  she  lonired  to  sro  to  him.  Once  she  called 
for  her  Testament,  and  opened  it,  but  soon  closed  it 
again,  saying,  "I  can  read  these  words  no  more,  but 
do  you  read  them  more  prayerfully,  and  love  the 
Saviour  more  than  I  have."  She  lingered  in  great  dis- 
tress, but  with  bright  visions  of  the  glorious  realities 
just  before  her,  till  the  early  dawn,  when  she  fell 
asleep.  We  cannot  doubt  that  Hannah's  long-cher- 
ished desire  was  then  realized ;  that  Jesus  came  and 
took  her  to  himself.  Her  school  companions  were 
deeply  affected  by  her  death,  and  loved  to  go  often 
to  her  grave  to  pray,  not  for  the  dead,  but  for  the 
living ;  and  there  to  sing  :  — 

"  How  blest  is  our  sister  bereft." 

DEACON    GEWERGIS. 

To  persons  at  all  acquainted  with  the  history  of 
the  Nestorian  Mission,  the  name  of  this** man  is 
familiar.  Of  his  conversion  and  subsequent  devotion 
to  Christ,  iSIiss  Fiskc  thus  writes  :  — 

"In  the  autumn  of  1845,  Deacon  Gewergis  of 
Tergawar,  brought  his  eldest  daughter,  then  perhaps 
twelve  or  thirteen  years  of  age,  and  begged  that  I 
wo\ild  take  her  into  my  school.  I  knew  him  as  one 
of  the  vilest  of  the  iS'estoriaus,  and  I  shrunk  from 
taking  his  daughter  into  my  family.  I  should  not 
have  received  her,  had  not  a  good  missionary  brother 
reminded  me  that  I  was  sjpecially  sent  to  the  lost, 
and  that  to  none  did  this  more  emphatically  apply 
then  to  Deacon  Gewergis.    I  took  the  child,  but  per- 


DEACON   GEWERGIS.  181 

haps  not  quite  willingly.  The  father,  during  his 
short  stay,  showed  so  much  of  avarice  and  supreme 
selfishness,  I  could  but  rejoice,  when  he  left  me,  that 
his  home  was  twenty-five  miles  from  us,  in  the  moun- 
tains, and  that  winter  snows  would  soon  cut  him  oflf 
in  a  sreat  measure  from  us. 

"  When  he  went  away  he  wanted  to  take  his  daugh- 
ter's clothes  with  him.  Mr.  Stoddard  and  Mr.  Stock- 
ing were  so  indignant  that  they  advised  me  not  to 
keep  the  girl.  I  replied,  '  I  should  like  to  shame  that 
man.'  '  Well,'  they  said,  '  you  may  if  you  can  ;  we 
should  like  to  have  you.'  Perhaps  it  was  all  my  will, 
but  I  thought  I  could  not,  and  would  not,  do  as  he 
desired.  I  went  to  the  room  where  he  was.  He  said 
to  me,  '1  want  to  leave  my  girl  here,  and  I  want  you 
should  teach  her.'  'Oh,  yes,  I  will ;  she  may  stay.' 
'  I  want  you  should  teach  her  just  as  well  as  you  can  ; 
make  her  a  good  teacher,  so  that  she  can  earn  money.' 
'Yes,  I  will  do  as  well  as  I  can  by  her;  is  that  all 
you  want?'  'I  should  like  to  take  the  clothes  she 
has  on.'  'Why,  Deacon  Gewergis,  are  you  h^er  father ? 
Is  she  your  child  ?  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing. 
Take  her  clothes  !  Yes,  you  may  if  you  wish  to,  but 
I  haven't  any  clothes  for  her.'  He  was  ashamed,  and, 
holding  up  his  tunic  with  both  hands  before  his  face, 
said,  'I  think  I'll  go.' 

"How  little  I  thought  then,  that  his  next  visit  would 
bring  him  over  those  deep  snows,  to  have  his  heart 
melt  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.  I  did  not  see  him  again 
till  February.  Then  he  appeared  in  his  Koordish 
dress,  with  his  belt  of  ammunition,  his  dagger  at 
his  side,  and  his  gun  thrown  over  his  shoulder. 
He  came  in,  on  a  Saturday,  among  my  dear  children, 


182  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

many  of  whom  were  weeping  over  sin.  I  felt  that 
the  wolf  had  truly  come  into  my  fold.  I  tried  to 
guard  the  dear  children,  and  God  took  care  of  the 
deacon  in  his  own  time  and  way.  He  ridiculed  the 
girls  in  their  anxiety  for  their  souls.  But  they  felt 
too  much  that  they  were  lost,  to  be  much  affected  by 
what  he  said.  The  daughter,  with  deep  feeling,  at 
length  asked  him  to  go  alone  Avith  her  to  pray.  He 
laughed  at  her,  but  said,  '  Do  you  not  think  I,  too,  can 
pray?'  They  went  by  themselves.  The  father  re- 
peated his  form  in  ancient  Syriac ;  the  child  bowed 
down,  pleaded  for  her  own  soul,  and  then  for  her 
perishing  father.  As  he  heard  her  say,  '  Save  my 
father,  fi-oinsf  down  to  destruction,'  he  raised  his  hand 
to  strike  her,  aud  he  used  to  say  afterwards,  '  God 
alone  kept  me  from  it.'  They  left  the  place  of  j)rayer, 
and  he  was  not  led  to  it  again  that  day,  even  by  his 
pleading  daughter.  Deacon  Mured  Khan,  who  was  a 
teacher  in  the  school,  aud  was  just  beginning  to  love 
the  Saviour,  took  Gewergis  to  his  own  room,  and 
there  reasoned  with  him  till  late  Saturday  niglii.  The 
Sabbath  found  him  not  only  despising,  but  doing  all 
he  could  to  prevent  others  from  coming  to  Christ. 
Sabbath  noon  Deacon  Mured  Khan  came  to  me  and 
pleaded  with  me  to  go  and  talk  with  Deacon  Gewergis. 
I  wanted  Mr.  Stocking  to  go,  but  he  said,  'You  had 
better  go  now ;  I  will  see  him  afterward.'  So  I  went 
to  the  room  where  he  was.  He  was  sitting  in  the 
only  chair  in  the  room.  He  did  not  rise  when  I  went 
in,  or  even  offer  me  a  seat ;  so  I  stood  by  his  side, 
and  told  him  I  had  come  to  talk  with  him  about  his 
soul.  He  laughed  at  me  and  said,  'I  am  safe,'  and 
laughed  yet  again.     I  tried  various  ways  to  reach 


DEACON   GEWEEGIS.  183 

him,  but  all  in  vain.  He  opposed  every  doctrine  of 
the  gospel  for  more  than  an  hour.  I  was  about  turn- 
ing from  him,  when  I  seemed  to  have  a  new  view  of 
the  worth  of  his  soul.  I  turned  to  him,  took  his 
hand,  and  said,  'Deacon  Gewergis,  I  see  you  do  not 
wish  me  to  speak  with  you  of  your  soul.  I  promise 
you  that  I  will  never  do  so  again,  if  you  do  not  wish 
me  to ;  but  I  want  you  to  make  me  one  [)romise  : 
when  we  stand  at  the  bar  of  God,  aud  you  are  found 
on  the  left  hand,  as  you  certainlj^  will  be,  if  you  go 
on  in  your  jDresent  course,  promise  me  that  you  will 
tell  the  assembled  universe,  that  on  this  twenty- 
second  day  of  February,  1846,  you  were  told  your 
danger.  I  leave  you,  to  pray  for  you.'  I  could  say 
no  more  ;  my  heart  was  too  full.  I  turned  and  was 
about  leaving  him,  when  he  burst  into  tears,  and  said, 
'My sister,  I  need  this  salvation.  I  will  go  and  pray 
for  myself." 

"The  hand  was  withdrawn,  and  Deacon  Gewergis 
passed  into  the  nearest  room .  I  could  hear  a  low  voice, 
but  I  could  not  believe  that  it  was  i)raycr.  -The  bell 
rang  for  chapel  service.  I  sent  my  dear  children  alone, 
and  I  stayed  to  watch  the  praying  man.  I  thought 
he  would  proba])ly  remain  for  a  time,  and  then  steal 
whatever  he  could  lay  his  hsmds  on,  and  depart.  I 
had  no  faith ;  so  there  I  stayed  and  watched,  till  I 
seemed  to  hear  a  voice  saying,  '  What  doest  thou  here, 
Elijah  ? '  I  was  ashamed  of  myself,  and  went  and 
found  my  place  in  the  solemn  assembly,  where 
brother  Stoddard  Avas  preaching.  I  had  been  there 
but  a  few  minutes  when  the  door  opened  very  gently. 
Deacon  Gewergis  entered;  his  ornn  and  daofofer 
were  gone,  his  turban  had  fallen  over  his  face,  his 


184  TAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

hands  were  raised  to  his  eyes,  and  I  could  sec  the  big 
tear-drops  ftilling.  He  stumbled  into  the  nearest  seat, 
and  laid  his  head  upon  the  desk.  At  the  close  of  the 
service  I  asked  Mr.  Stocking  if  he  could  see  Deacon 
Gewergis,  for,  I  said,  'I  cannot  see  him  again  now.' 
This  good  brother  was  all  ready  for  his  work.  He 
took  him  to  his  study,  and  then  and  there  the  deacon 
cried  out  in  bitterness  of  soul,  '  My  sins,  my  sins,  they 
are  higher  than  Jeki  mountains  ! '  Mr.  Stocking  said 
to  him,  'Yes,  but  if  the  fires  of  hell  could  be  put  out, 
you  would  not  bo  troubled,  would  you?'  Then  the 
stronor  mountaineer  was  bowed  to  the  floor,  and  ex- 
claimed,  'Sir,  I  could  not  carry  this  load  of  sin  if 
there  were  no  hell.'  This  brother  pointed  him  to 
Christ,  and  he  was  left  alone  till  the  morning.  Then 
brother  Stoddard  came  to  see  him  at  my  request.  I 
shall  never  forget  how  this  dear  brother  came  to  me, 
after  a  short  interview,  saying,  '  Deacon  Gewergis's 
soul  is  so  full  of  the  love  of  Christ,  "My  great  sins, 
and  my  great  Saviour  !  "  is  all  he  can  say.'  I  said  to 
Mr.  Stoddard,  'You  will  not  be  deceived,  by  this 
man.'  He  looked  mildly  upon  me,  saying,  'My 
sister,  be  not  faithless,  but  believing.'  I  asked  Mr. 
Stoddard  if  he  was  willing  to  take  the  deacon  home 
with  him  and  take  care  of  him.  He  replied,  'I  shall 
be  but  too  glad  to  do  it.'  But,  before  noon,  the  man 
had  left  for  his  mountain  home,  for  he  said,  'I  must 
tell  my  friends  and  neighbors  of  sin  and  of  Christ.' 
We  heard  nothinsr  of  him  for  two  weeks,  when  one 
of  our  helpers  was  sent  to  find  him.  He  found  him 
in  his  own  house,  surrounded  by  his  friends,  telling 
them  '  of  sin  and  of  Christ.'  The  hel^Dcr  spent  the 
Sabbath  with  him,  and  Monday  they  came  to  Oroo- 


DEACON    GEWERGIS.  185 

miah.  The  deacon  soon  found  his  way  to  my  room. 
As  he  opened  the  door,  I  was  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  room,  and  saw  him  at  once.  With  tears  in  his 
eyes,  and  hand  extended,  he  approached,  saying,  'I 
know  you  did  not  believe  me,  but  you  will  love  me, 
—  will  you  not  ? '  Yes,  I  loved  him,  and  wondered  at 
my  own  want  of  faith.  The  deacon  always  remem- 
bered the  school  as  the  birthplace  of  his  soul,  and 
ever  delighted  to  pray  for  us.  Once  when  he  had 
been  praying  in  Mr.  Stoddard's  school,  at  evening 
devotions,  as  he  rose  from  his  knees,  he  exclaimed, 
'  O  God,  forgive  me,  I  forgot  to  pray  for  Miss  Fiske's 
school ! '  So  he  knelt  again  and  prayed  for  us,  and 
Mr.  Stoddard  said  he  did  not  believe  there  was  a 
smile  on  a  sins^le  countenance. 

"  The  June  after  his  hopeful  conversion,  I  went 
with  Mr.  Stocking's  family  to  his  home  in  Tergawar. 
This  was  the  first  time  ladies  had  been  into  the  moun- 
tains. The  good  deacon  was  greatly  delighted  with 
this  visit ;  and  we  then  commenced  labors  for  females 
there,  which  we  have  loved  to  continue  to  the*^resent 
time.  One  day  we  went  upon  the  top  of  a  high 
mountain ;  the  road  was  rough  and  difficult  of  as- 
cent, but  the  deacon,  as  much  at  home  on  those 
steeps  as  the  wild  goat,  could  not  only  take  care  of 
himself,  but  of  others.  As  he  offered  to  help  us,  we 
said,  '  We  get  on  very  well.'  As  he  heard  this,  I 
saw  his  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and  he  said,  'You 
helped  me  in  a  worse  way,  —  may  I  not  help  you  ? ' 
We  were  made  willing  to  be  helped. 

"  The  deacon  gave  himself,  from  the  time  of  his  con- 
version, to  labor  for  souls.  He  loved  especially  to 
labor  in  the   mountains.     There  was  always  a  tear 


186  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

and  a  smile  ou  his  counteDance,  and  he  was  ever 
ready,  as  at  first,  to  speak  '  of  sin  and  of  Christ.* 
He  went  through  the  mountain  districts  many  times, 
with  his  Testament  and  hymn-book  in  the  knapsack 
thrown  over  his  shoulders.  As  he  entered  the  passes 
among  the  rocks,  he  was  sure  to  be  found  singing, 
'Rock  of  ages,  cleft  for  me  ; '  and  when  he  sat  down 
by  the  fountain's  side,  he  was  ever  ready  to  burst 
forth  in  saying,  '  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood.' 
He  warned  all  whom  he  met,  and  pointed  them  to 
Christ.  After  years  of  labor,  he  was  called  to  his 
rest,  dying  of  brain  fever,  March  12,  1856.  As  his 
mind  wandered  in  that  last  sickness,  he  seemed  to 
dwell  much  on  those  days  that  he  spent  with  us  in 
1846,  when  he  first  understood  the  way  to  Christ.  He 
would  say,  'Oh,  Miss  Fiske  was  right  when  she  pointed 
out  that  way,'  and  then  he  would  shout,  Tree  grace  ! 
free  gi'ace  ! '  till  he  would  sink  away  unconscious ; 
then,  when  roused,  he  would  say,  'That  blessed 
Mr.  Stocking !  Oh,  it  was  free  grace,  free  grace  ! ' 
Those  were  almost  his  last  words.  The  dear  child 
who  prayed  with  him,  when  his  soul  was  first  awak- 
ened to  its  lost  state,  was  by  his  dying-bed,  to  catch 
from  his  lips  those  blessed  words,  '  Free  grace  !  free 
grace  !'  and  her  voice  in  prayer  was  the  last  earthly 
sound  that  fell  upon  his  ear." 

The  walking-stick  of  this  good  deacon,  which  had 
so  often  supported  him  as  he  journeyed  over  the  wild 
mountains,  preaching  the  gospel,  was  brought  to  this 
country  by  Dr.  Perkins,  and  deposited  at  the  Mis- 
sionary House  in  Boston. 


VISIT   TO    TERGAWAii.  187 


CHAPTER  XI. 

JUNE,    1846,   TO   JUNE,    IS^T. 

Visit  to  Tergawar.  —  Cholera.  —  A  Revival.  —  Copies  ot  me  New  Testa- 
ment in  Syriac,  given  to  the  Pupils.  —  Presents  Inexpedient. 

In  August,  1846,  Miss  Fiske  visited  tlie  district 
of  Tergawar,  of  which  she  gives  the  following  ac- 
count :  — 

"Since  I  hist  wrote  you  I  have  spent  several  days 
in  Tergawar,  a  mountainous  region  on  our  borders. 
The  place  is  elevated,  and  delightfully  cool,  and 
abounds  in  most  charming  scenery.  It  is  just  such  a 
spot  as  one  loves  to  flee  to,  after  being  long  confined 
amidst  the  noise  and  dust  of  such  a  city  as  ours.  I 
was  so  worn  out  with  my  school  duties  tfeat,  for 
several  days  previous  to  going,  I  was  able  to  do  but 
little,  or,  perhaps  I  might  say,  nothing.  A  change  of 
air  and  place  I  found  most  invi<>:oratino:  and  delisfht- 
ful.  We  had  long  wished  to  visit  this  district,  on 
account  of  some  religious  interest,  which  had  for 
months  existed  there.  We  were  gratified  to  find 
some  apparently  heaven-born  souls  amid  these  wild 
mountains.  In  one  villa2:e,  as  we  were  restins:  in  our 
tent  af  night,  we  could  often  hear  the  voice  of  prayer 
on  every  side  of  us.  How  did  we  magnify  the  Lord 
that  he  had  himself  thus  worked  there  !  No  member 
of  the  mission  had  visited  the  place  for  nearly  three 


188  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

years.  I  found  one  or  two  sisters  anxiously  inquir- 
ing for  the  way  to  heaven.  Daring  our  stay  in  Ter- 
gawar  we  passed  over  into  Koordistan,  and  ascended 
some  of  the  snow-capped  mountains.  The  views  of 
dift'erent  districts  in  Koordistan  are  very  fine." 

She  writes,  September  16th:  "I  visited  Geog 
Tapa  little  more  than  a  week  since,  and  spent  three 
days  there.  I  was  deeply  interested  in  the  appear- 
ance of  the  village.  It  is  believed  that  there  are 
now  but  few  persons  in  Geog  Tapa  who  do  not  pray 
in  secret.  We  do  not  consider  *  Behold,  he  prayeth,' 
a  certain  sign  of  conversion,  but  we  are  rejoiced  to 
know  that  public  prayers  in  a  dead  language  are  giv- 
ing place  to  prayers  in  the  closet.  In  the  threshing- 
floors  many  little  closets  are  made  by  sheaves  of 
grain,  one  sheaf  answering  for  the  door.  Will  not 
God  avenge  his  own  elect  here?  I  do  believe  he 
will." 

Miss  Fiske  was  very  grateful,  on  resuming  her 
school  duties,  September  28th,  to  find  that  her  vaca- 
tion excursions  had  quite  restored  her  to*>her  usual 
health  and  vigor.  In  reply  to  anxieties  expressed  by 
a  sister,  in  regard  to  her  health,  she  writes,  October 
13th:  ''I  keep  nothing  back.  I  solemnly  promised 
our  dear  mother,  just  before  leaving,  that  I  would 
ever  be  frank  ;  and  so  I  will  be.  Judging  from  my 
own  feelings,  I  shall  thus  save  you  from  a  great  trial. 
There  is  nothing  I  so  much  dread  as  to  feel  that  I  do  not 
know  the  worst.  In  regard  to  my  lungs  being  seri- 
ously affected,  I  do  not  think  they  are.  Some  of  the 
time  this  summer  I  was  entirely  free  from  any  diffi- 
culty in  this  respect,  and  I  now  very  seldom  experi- 
ence any  inconvenience.     You  know  that  from  a  child 


CHOLERA.  189 

I  suffered  often,  and  seriously,  from  colds.  That  I 
still  should  thus  suffer  is  not  strange.  Yet  I  believe 
that  I  suffer  less  than  I  should  if  teaching  in  America ; 
that  is,  I  think  I  am  able  to  do  more  here  than  I 
should  be  able  to  do  there.  This  is  a  great  comfort 
to  me  when  I  feel  the  outer  man  decaying." 

The  school  had  been  in  session  only  about  five 
weeks  when  it  was  interrupted,  and  the  pupils  scat- 
tered by  the  appearance  of  the  cholera  in  Oroomiah. 
For  months  this  scourge  had  been  advancing  in  that 
direction  ;  but  it  was  hoped  that,  owing  to  the  lateness 
of  the  season,  its  progress  would  be  arrested  before 
reaching  the  city.  At  length,  however,  about  the 
first  of  November  its  presence  was  unmistakably  an- 
nounced. The  missionaries,  with  their  families,  im- 
mediately removed  to  Seir,  and  were  all  mercifully 
spared.  For  five  weeks  the  ravages,  of  this  terrible 
disease  continued,  and  in  that  time  it  was  ascertained 
that  more  than  two  thousand  three  hundred  died. in 
the  city  of  Oroomiah,  or  nearly  one-tenth  of  the 
entire  popuhition.  Early  in  December  the  "mission- 
aries deemed  it  prudent  to  return  to  the  city  ;  but 
Miss  Fiske's  school  was  not  reassembled  till  near  the 
close  of  the  month.  In  the  mean  time  she  was  much 
occupied  in  ministering  to  the  poor  Nestorians  of  the 
mountains,  who  had  been  driven  from  their  homes 
by  the  bloody  Koords,  and  had  fled,  almost  starved 
and  naked,  to  the  city. 

The  pupils,  as  well  as  teachers,  having  escaped 
the  pestilence  which  had  so  suddenly  swept  thousands 
around  them  into  the  grave,  came  together  with  hearts 
overflowino;  with  arratitude,  and  were  soon  visited 
again  by  the  same  gracious  Spirit,  whose  converting 


190  FAITlf    WORKING   BY    LOVE. 

power  was  so  wonderfully  displayed  among  them  the 
previous  year.  The  school  now  numbered  forty-one, 
of  whom  twenty  were  hopefully  pious,  and  this  num- 
ber was  soon  to  be  increased.  January  13th,  Miss 
Fiske  wrote  :  "  You  will  be  rejoiced  to  know  that  the 
Lord  is  again  visiting  my  tender  charge  in  mercy. 
There  had  been  one  case  of  seriousness  in  the  school 
previous  to  the  new  year ;  but  it  was  not  one  of  such 
deep  feeling  as  we  desired  to  see.  We  hoped  and 
prayed,  and  yet  our  Father's  face  was  hidden  from 
us.  Such  a  cloud  of  darkness  sometimes  rested  on 
me  that  I  felt  I  could  not  be  the  Lord's,  and  I  feared 
also  that  all  my  girls  who  were  hoping  were  deceiving 
themselves.  But,  rejoice  with  me,  'He  that  was 
lost  is  found.'  Yes,  I  trust  I  can  now  say,  'Jesus  is 
mine,  and  I  am  his.'  He  has  also  visited  the  Chris- 
tians iu  school,  and  brought  them  very  near  to  him- 
self. Nor  is  this  all.  The  cry  of  the  impenitent  for 
mercy  is  again  heard  in  the  midst  of  us.  The  Spirit 
of  God  is  here  convincing  of  sin,  of  righteousness, 
and  of  judgment.  The  Tuesday  following  the  first 
Monday  in  the  year  (which  was  a  most  interesting 
day),  the  girl,  mentioned  above,  became  more  deeply 
serious.  She  attended  to  her  regular  duties  during 
the  day,  and  was  in  at  evening  prayers.  I  saw  that 
she  was  ranch  affected,  and  after  prayers  I  had  a  little 
conversation  with  her.  Finding  her  much  exhausted, 
I  pointed  her  to  the  sinner's  Friend,  and  advised 
her  to  retire  for  the  night.  I  had  been  gone  from  her 
but  a  few  moments  when  she  became  insensible.  We 
used  the  most  powerful  restoratives,  but  she  lay  thir- 
teen hours  before  showing  any  signs  of  arousing. 
When  she  came  to  herself  she  had  no  peace.     The 


A   REVIVAL.  191" 

same  augry  God,  she  felt,  was  frowning  upon  her. 
She  continued  thus  about  a  week  before  she  was  wil- 
ling to  come  to  Christ.  I  watched  over  her  with 
deepest  anxiety,  fearing  lest  she  might  go  back  to  the 
world.  Her  contest  was  long  and  severe  with  sin 
and  the  devil.  Her  physical  powers  seemed  to  sink 
under  it.  But  she  has  at  length,  as  we  hope,  fled  to 
Christ.  There  were  no  other  cases  of  deep  interest 
in  the  school  till  a  little  more  than  a  week  since,  when 
the  Spirit  came  in  a  wonderful  manner  to  some  souls. 
I  have  never  seen  pei.T,v)ns  so  bowed  and  humbled. 
Four,  I  hope,  have  submitted  to  the  Saviour,  and  five 
others  seem  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  I 
should  like  to  write  you  more  fully ;  but  the  careless 
soul,  the  awakened  sinner,  and  the  trembling  Chris- 
tian call  for  all  my  strength  to-day." 

A  few  weeks  later  she  writes  :  "  A  precious  addition 
has  been  made  to  the  number  of  our  praying  ones. 
There  is  now  but  one  in  school,  except  quite  small 
girls,  for  whom  we  have  not  hope.  Several  of 
our  scholars  are  married,  or  soon  wilPbe;  of 
such,  those  whom  we  have  considered  Christians 
are  bright  gems  where  they  are  set.  Their  sweet 
submission  in  the  family  circle,  and  their  faithful  per- 
formance of  every  duty,  excite  the  interest  and  admi- 
ration of  their  neighbors  and  friends.  It  is  as  diflScult 
here,  as  it  is  with  you  at  Mt.  Holyoke,  to  keep  those 
qualified  for  teachers  any  length  of  time.  Some  of 
the  older  girls  are  beginning  to  help  me  a  good  deal, 
but  busy  ones  are  alreadj'  marking  out  domestic  circles 
for  them.  It  has  been  trying  to  me  to  think  that  I 
could  not  raise  up  teachers  here ;  and  I  do  not  wholly 
despair  of  doing  so  yet ;  but  I  am  convinced  that  it 


192  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

will  be  some  time  before  any  one  will  be  allowed  to 
remain  unmarried  till  twenty  years  of  age.  I  am, 
however,  comforted  in  the  thought  that  those  who 
would  make  good  teachers  will  also  make  good  wives 
and  mothers." 

April  7th,  she  wrote  to  her  mother  :  "  Four  years  ago 
this  afternoon  I  first  set  foot  on  Eastern  shores,  and, 
as  the  anniversary  of  that  day  returns,  my  thoughts 
are  much  on  the  land  which  I  felt,  then,  more  than 
during  the  voyage,  that  I  had  left  forever  behind. 
Yes  !  sweet  home  of  my  birth,  of  my  early  privileges, 
of  my  fathers'  sepulchres,  and  a  thousand  tender  as- 
sociations, I  have  probably  taken  my  leave  of  thee 
forever  !  but  not  in  sadness,  I  can  truly  say,  if  I  may 
only  be  useful  in  this  dark  land.  I  remember,  moth- 
er, that  you  once  asked  me,  just  before  I  left  you,  if 
I  should  feel  it  my  duty  to  go  if  I  knew  that  I.  should 
not  live  more  than  six  years.  My  reply  was,  'I  do  not 
expect  to  live  more  than  six  years  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  perhaps,  not  half  that  time,  but  I  still  feel  that  I 
must  go.'  I  often  wonder,  when  I  look  baclj:  on  the 
past,  how  it  was  that  I  felt  no  more  doubt  in  regard 
to  my  duty.  Was  it  a  heavenly  voice  that  said  to  me, 
'This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it'?  Oh  that  I  could 
feel  assured  that  it  was ;  and  more,  that  I  could  be 
entirely  devoted  to  my  Master's  work  I  To  be  Christ's 
is  all  that  is  worth  living  for;  and,  if  we  be  indeed 
his,  how  brief  will  be  our  separation  from  our  dear 
Christian  friends  !  Perhaps  our  kind  Father  will  allow 
us  to  awake,  at  the  same  time,  in  light.  Perhaps  I 
may  never  hear  of  your  death  nor  you  of  mine,  be- 
cause m  death  not  divided." 

Se^  enteen  years  afterwards  the   mother   saw  the 


TESTAMENTS  PRESENTED   TO   THE    PUPILS.       103 

daughter  die,  and  a  few  months  later,  the  daughter 
welcomed  the  mother  into  the  "light." 

While  the  revival  in  Miss  Fiske's  school  was  in 
progress,  she  heard  of  a  revival  iu  the  Mt.  Holyoke 
Seminary.  The  cheering  intelligence  deeply  affected 
her  pupils.  "I  have  not  seen,"  she  writes,  "  so  many 
tender  feelings  called  forth  for  a  long  time.  It  was 
just  before  their  weekly  prayer-meeting  on  Sabbath 
evening,  at  which  I  am  not  present,  it  being  also  the 
hour  of  the  mission  prayer-meeting.  When  our 
meeting  closed  I  went  down,  supposing  that  they  had 
dispersed  ;  but,  no  !  they  were  still  praying  and  prais- 
ino:  God  with  an  affectins:  earnestness.  I  felt  it  not 
best  to  interfere,  but  allowed  them  to  continue  more 
than  two  hours  from  the  time  they  began,  and  then 
they  weio  unwilling  to  leave  the  sacred  spot.  They 
often  speak  of  their  own  conversion  as  being  in  answer 
to  prayer  in  your  seminary.  Born  as  they  were  iu  a 
revival,  they  feel  peculiar  interest  in  such  seasons." 

After  a  continuous  term  of  eighteen  we^ks,  the 

school  was  dismissed.  May  4th,  for  a  brief  vacation. 

The  closing  scene  was  invested  with  touching  interest, 

by  the  presentation  of  copies  of  the  New  Testament 

to  several  of  the  girls.     The  occasion  is  thus  described 

by  Miss  Fiske  :    "We  have  been  able  this  spring,  for 

the  first  time,   to  give  the  Nestoriaus  copies  of  the 

New  Testament  entire  in  their  spoken  language.      But 

it  was  not  thought  best  to  distribute  them  gratuitously 

at  first,  but  to  lead  as  many  as  possible  to  pay  for 

them.     Teachers,  and  others  have  paid  a  dollar  foi 

the  book,  which  is  somewhat  less  than  its  cost.     But 

as  our  pupils  could  not  for  a  long  time  command  so 

large  a  sum,  it  was  thought  best  to  resort  to  some 
13 


194  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

other  expedient  for  placing  the  Holy  Book  iu  their 
hands,  and  still  not  give  it  to  them  entirely  free.  A 
catechism  had  been  recently  prepared  by  Dr.  Wright, 
in  which  the  answer.-?  were  given  in  texts  of  Scripture. 
These  texts,  some  ten  or  twelve  hundred  in  number, 
were  from  all  parts  of  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  pupils  were  told  that  all  who  would  learn 
and  correctly  recite  this  catechism  should  receive  a 
New  Testament,  provided  they  did  it  entirely  in  recre- 
ation hours.  It  was  delightful  ^to  see  the  interest 
with  which  both  boys  and  girls  set  about  the  work. 
Some  completed  it  in  about  three  weeks ;  and  all  the 
elder  girls,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  before  vaca- 
tion. These  two  or  three  were  not  willing  to  go  to 
their  friends  till  they  had  tinished  the  task.  About 
twenty  girls  in  all  received  the  book,  and  went  to 
their  homes  saying,  ^Precious  treasure,  thou  art  mine.' 
Parents,  overjoyed  with  the  gift,  as  well  as  with  the 
diligence  of  their  children,  threw  their  arms  around 
their  necks,  and  gave  vent  to  tears.  The  girls  have 
had  interesting  times  with  their  friends,  reading  to 
them,  and  communicating  religious  instruction." 

The  presentation  of  books,  like  that  just  mentioned, 
was  the  only  kind  of  presents,  or  rewards,  which 
Miss  Fiske  deemed  it  wise  to  make.  Articles  sent 
her  by  friends  for  this  purpose  were  otherwise  used. 
She  says,  "  Very  few  presents  are  used  by  us  for  the 
women ;  I  use  none.  I  heartily  disapprove  of  the 
practice  in  the  present  state  of  the  mission.  Of 
course  you  will  not  understand  me  as  speaking  of 
other  missions,  nor  of  other  days  here.  I  only  mean 
to  say  that  I  do  not  think  they  are  now  called  for  here. " 


CHOLERA.  195 


CHAPTER  XII. 

JUNE,    1847,   TO   SEPTEMBER,    1848. 

Cholera.  —  Visit  to  Marsheboo.  —  "  Settling  it.''  —  Arrival  of  Misa  Rice.  — 
Journey  to  Erzroom. — Departure  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stoddard. — Death 
of  Mrs.  Stoddard.  —  Persecutions  of  Mar.  Shimon.  —  Death  of  the  King. 

The  early  part  of  the  summer  vacation  of  1847 
was  spent  by  Miss  Fiske  in  frequent  excursions  to 
the  neighboring  villages.  She  visited  many  of  her 
pupils  at  their  homes,  and  was  delighted  to  witness 
their  Christian  activity.     July  12th,  she  writes  :  — 

"Yesterday,  which  was  the  Sabbath,  I  spent  at 
Geog  Tapa.  After  the  afternoon  service  I  attended 
a  farewell  prayer-meeting  in  the  church.  This  meet- 
ing has  been  established  by  the  girls  since'*vacation 
commenced,  and  is  now  attended  by  some  sixty  or 
seventy.  I  rejoice  in  the  disposition  of  the  girls  to 
engage  in  such  kind  of  labors ;  but,  when  I  remem- 
ber that  they  who  are  to  sustain  such  a  meeting  are 
girls  only  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  of  age,  I  tremble 
lest  in  some  things  they  should  be  indiscreet.  Oh,  may 
the  Lord's  honor  be  perfected  in  their  weakness  !  " 

The  cholera  reappeared  this  season  in  Oroomiah. 
Of  its  ravages  Miss  Fiske  thus  writes  :  — 

"  It  is  impossible  to  give  j^ou  any  correct  idea  of 
the  heart-re ndins:  scenes  which  have  been  witnessed 
in  our  ill-fated  city.     When  we  saw  the  storm  ap- 


196  TAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

proaching  we  fled  to  the  mountains,  so  that  our  eyes 
have  not  seen,  only  our  ears  have  heard,  what  the 
Lord  has  done.  We  cannot,  at  present,  correctly 
estimate  <the  number  who  have  been  ciit  down ;  but 
we  suppose  that  one-fourth  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
city  may  have  fallen.  Some  days  since,  we  heard 
from  the  sellers  of  cloths  in  the  market,  that  during 
two  weeks  they  sold  four  thousand  shrouds  I  The 
whole  population  of  the  city  is  about  twenty-five 
thousand.  During  those  days  almost  all  business 
was  suspended  in  the  bazaars  except  shroud-selling. 
Thecry  of  the  mourning  women,  and  of  the  mourning 
men  also,  has  gone  up  continuously  all  over  the  city. 
One  night  the  whole  population  were  out  crying  for 
mercy.  The  work  of  desolation  in  the  villages, 
although  dreadful,  has  been  less  in  proportion. 

The  cholera  having  disappeared.  Miss  Fiske  reas- 
sembled her  school  about  the  first  of  October.  Early 
in  November,  Mr.  Stocking  invited  her  to  accompany 
him  to  Marsheboo,  a  place  about  fifty  miles  distant  in 
the  mountains  beyond  Tergawar,  and  in  Turkey.  Her 
first  thought  was  that  she  could  not  leave  her  school. 

"  Your  school  is  not  your  all,"  said  the  good  brother. 
"  There  are  souls  perishing  in  those  mountains,  for 
whom  you  have  onlj'  prayed,  and  I  want  you  to  go 
and  labor  for  them." 

Three  of  her  eldest  girls,  readily  consenting  to 
take  care  of  the  school  in  her  absence,  and  promising 
to  pray  for  her,  in  less  than  two  hours  she  had 
mounted  her  horse,  and  was  on  her  way. 

"No  lady,"  she  says,  **  had  ever  been  there  before, 
and,  on  account  of  the  difficulties  of  the  roads  it  had 
been  thought  that  no  one  ever  could  go.     But  one 


VISIT   TO    MARSHEBOO.  197 

of  ray  pupils  (a  diuighter  of  Mar.  Shimon's  brother) 
having  married  and  settled  there,  I  felt  a  strong  in- 
clination to  try  to  surmount  the  difficulties,  and  to  go 
and  tell  my  sisters  there  the  story  of  redeeming  love. 
We  started  Friday,  p.  m.,  and  bj'  hard  riding  reached 
Tcrgawar  just  after  sunset,  where,  in  the  village  of 
Mawana,  we  spent  the  night.  Our  host  found  it  con- 
venient to  bring  into  his  one  room,  with  his  family 
(consisting  of  fifteen  or  twenty  souls),  hens,  sheep, 
calves,  etc.,  etc.  I  can  hardly  tell  you  what  was, 
and  what  was  not,  in  that  room  :  cellar,  store-room, 
pantry,  chambers,  and  stable  were  all  combined  in 
one.  You  would  have  been  amused  to  see  the  motley 
gathering:  there  that  evenino^.     But  it  had  an  interest 

DO  O 

to  US,  for  we  could  there  preach  Clirist  to  never-dying 
souls. 

"About  ten  o'clock,  the  mother  of  the  family  rose, 
saying, 'Now  we  will  settle  it.'  I  listened  to  hear 
the  settlement  of  some  family  quarrel,  but  to  my  sur- 
prise her  meaning  was,  '  we  will  settle  where  to  lie 
down  for  the  night,'  and,  as  I  looked  over  the  room, 
I  thought,  surely,  some  little  skill  in  'settling'  is 
needed,  if  we  are  all  to  sleep  here.  But  soon  she 
took  out  three  of  the  children  to  an  empty  manger, 
where  she  put  new  hay  and  quickly  '  settled '  them  ; 
they  were  covered  with  an  old  rug,  and  at  once  fell 
fast  asleep.  She  then  returned,  saying,  'Now  there 
is  room  for  our  guests,'  and  brought  a  piece  of  cot- 
ton cloth,  which  she  said  was  all  for  me.  In  a  short 
time,  one  and  another  were  fast  asleep.  They  lay  on 
mats  with  neither  bed  nor  pillow ;  and  the  divers 
breathing  and  snoring  of  men,  and  calves,  and  lambs, 
were  soon  heard,  all  mingled  together. 


198         FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

"  I  tried  to  sleep  in  vain ;  my  eyelids  would  not 
stay  closed.  The  morning  came  at  length,  and  I  was 
glad  to  be  in  my  saddle  again,  for  it  was  infinitely 
softer  than  my  bed  of  earth.  It  is  impossible  for  mo 
to  describe  the  ride  of  Saturday.  The  road  was  more 
difficult  than  any  I  had  seen  ;  and  it  is  said  that  the 
lady  who  can  reach  Marsheboo  can  go  on  into  the 
heart  of  Koordistan.  We  reached  M.  after  noon,  and 
not  only  had  a  kind  reception,  but  were  comfortably 
provided  for  by  my  old  pupil.  I  had  an  interesting 
season  there,  and  free  intercourse  with  the  women, 
and  was  permitted  to  tell  some  of  them  for  the  first 
time  of  Jesus'  love.  I  was  more  than  repaid  for  all 
my  toils  in  reaching  there.  We  remained  till  Mon- 
day morning,  when  we  left  for  the  city,  where  we 
arrived  a  little  before  sunset.  Can  you  not  believe 
that  I  am  very  well,  to  be  able  to  ride  fifty  miles  in 
a  day  over  such  a  road?" 

November  20th,  Miss  Fiske's  heart  was  gladdened 
by  the  arrival  of  Miss  Mary  Susan  Rice,  who  was  to 
be  henceforth  associated  with  her  in  the  cai:^  and  in- 
struction of  the  school,  and  in  her  general  missionary 
work  among  the  Nestorians.  Writing  to  her  mother, 
four  days  after  the  arrival  of  Miss  Rice,  she  says  :  — 

"I  am  much  pleased  with  my  new  companion.  I 
love  her  more  and  more  every  hour.  I  feel  that  slie 
is  just  the  one  to  come  here.  The  girls  are  delighted 
with  their  new  teacher,  and  well  they  may  be.  I  do 
believe  she  is  one  of  Heaven's  choicest  spirits.  When 
she  told  me  about  her  visit  to  you  I  could  not  control 
my  feelings.  I  laid  my  head  on  her  shoulder  and 
wept  aloud.  Oh,  it  is  such  a  comfort  to  me  to  think 
that  she  has  seen  you  !     I  have  not  forgotten  to  love 


THOUGHTS    OF   HO.ME.  l;)i) 

you.  My  heart  is  as  warm  as  ever,  and  nothing  has 
brought  you  more  freshly  to  ray  raind  than  seeing  this 
dear  sister.  I  am  very  thankful  that  she  was  able  to 
see  you." 

Miss  Fiske's  first  impressions  of  Miss  Rice  were 
abundantly  confirmed  by  the  experience  of  eleven 
years  of  harmonious  and  delightful  missionary  labor. 
She  ever  found  in  her  a  congenial  companion,  and  a 
judicious  and  efficient  fellow-worker ;  and,  when  com- 
pelled by  impaired  health  to  leave  Persia,  it  was  a 
great  comfort  to  be  able  to  entrust  her  school  to  one 
so  competent  to  take  charge  of  it,  and  so  devoted  to 
its  interests. 

One  of  the  teachers,  Dea.  Mured  Kahn,  was  now 
transferred  to  a  girls'  school  established  at  Geog  Tapa, 
three  of  Miss  Fiske's  older  pupils  supplying  his  place 
in  the  seminary  by  teaching  half  the  time. 

Miss  Fiske's  heart  often  turned  fondly  to  her  na- 
tive hills,  and  to  the  loved  ones  there.  December 
17th,  she  writes  :  "  I  suppose  you  still  live  in  the  brick 
house  amongf  the  hills.  Has  all  remained  UBchans^ed 
since  I  left?  I  feel  as  much  interest  in  changes  as 
Uncle  Pliny  did,  when  he  said,  'Tell  me  if  the  old 
black  hen  lives.'  I  suppose  your  neighbors  are  nearly 
the  same  as  when  I  left ;  that  the  hills  are  as  steep  as 
ever,  and  that  'Ball  Mountain'  and  'Sluice  Brook' 
have  known  no  change.  Oh,  how  pleasant  it  would 
be  to  look  on  them  again  !  " 

While  laying  in  her  winter  stores,  she  writes:  — 

"You  will,  perhaps,  smile  when  I  tell  you  that  I 
put  up  seventy-five  bushels  of  grapes  this  year  for 
ray  school.  They  arc  hung  up  in  clusters,  and  dry, 
or  wilt,  a  little,  when  they  keep  very  well  till  spring. 


200  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

They  are  much  cheaper  than  apples  in  New  England, 
and  I  am  sure  I  like  them  quite  as  well." 

Five  years  had  now  elapsed  since  she  left  her  na- 
tive land.  Devoutly  thankful  for  the  past,  she  was 
more  than  ever  hopeful  in  regard  to  the  future.  To 
her  mother  she  thus  writes  :  — 

"  Oroomiah,  March  21,  1848. 

"My  dear  Mother: — You  have,  doubtless, 
thought  of  me  often  during  the  last  few  days,  and 
remembered  that  five  years  have  passed  since  I  bade 
you  farewell.  How  much  occasion  have  we  both  for 
gratitude  to  our  heavenly  Father  fur  all  his  goodness 
to  us  during  this  period  !  When  I  left  you,  I  know 
that  all  a  mother's  feelings  filled  your  soul.  You  pic- 
tured to  yourself  many  a  scene  of  sorrow  and  of  suf- 
fering for  your  dejDarting  child.  But  grace  enabled 
you  to  commit  me  to  the  Lord,  and  oh,  how  has  he 
fulfilled  your  fondest  desire  !  How  gently  has  he  led 
me !  How  have  mercies  unnumbered  strewed  my 
path !  , 

"I  should  love  to  tell  you  with  what  sweet  delight 
I  look  back  on  all  the  Lord's  dealings  with  me  in  past 
years.  It  luas  all  right.  Yes,  I  am  sure  that  I  feel  so  ; 
and  I  would  not  change  one  thing  that  my  Father  has 
done.  He  knew  and  did  what  was  best.  I  only  ask, 
now,  that  I  may  never  distrust  him,  but  go  cheerfully, 
yea,  joyfully,  forward,  where  his  unseen  hand  leads. 
If  we  do  but  trust  the  Lord  he  will  provide,  and  will 
strengthen  us  in  every  hour ;  as  one  has  beautifully 
said,  'If  he  leads  us  in  a  thorny  path,  he  will  give 
us  shoes  of  iron  and  of  brass.' " 


DEATH    OF   MRS.    STODDAUD.  201 

Miss  Fiske'a  health  having  become  somevvhat  im- 
paired by  the  continuous  labors  of  the  winter  and 
spring,  it  was  thought  best  for  her  to  accompany  Mr. 
Stocking  and  family  to  Erzroom,  for  the  purpose  of 
escortina:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cochran  to  Oroomiah.  The 
unusually  cold  and  wot  weather  rendered  this  horse- 
back ride,  of  four  hundred  miles  each  way  over  the 
mountains,  more  fatiguing  and  unpleasant  than  was 
anticipated.  Miss  Fiske,  however,  enjoyed  much  in 
connection  with  it,  especially  the  Christian  inter- 
course with  the  missionaries  at  Erzroom ;  and  it 
gave  her  great  pleasure  to  welcome  new  laborers  to 
the  missionary  field  in  Persia. 

The  next  day  after  her  return,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stod- 
dard left  Oroomiah  for  Erzroom,  fearing  that  the 
state  of  his  health  mio^ht  oblio^e  them  to  £^o  to  Con- 
stantinople,  and  possibly  to  America.  The  touching 
record  of  that  journey,  and  of  the  sudden  death  of 
Mrs.  Stoddard  at  Trebizond,  is  found  in  the  excellent 
memoir  of  Mr.  Stoddard.  It  was  a  severe  trial  to 
Miss  Fiske  to  part  with  this  beloved  brother  au(l  sister. 
They  had  been  her  companions  in  the  '  Emma  Isa- 
dora ; '  they  had  for  five  years  been  intimately  con- 
nected with  her  in  labors  for  the  Christian  education 
of  Nestorian  youth  ;  they  were  moreover  congenial 
spirits,  and  had  in  many  ways  greatly  endeared 
themselves  to  her.  Perhaps  no  one,  save  the  stricken 
husband,  felt  the  death  of  Mrs.  Stoddard  more  keenly 
than  she.  "  Precious  sister  !  She  died  faraway  from 
us,  where  we  could  not  give.one  sympathizing  look  or 
deed.  Why  must  it  be  so  ?  Why  might  I  not  stand 
by  that  dearest  sister's  dying-bed  ?     My  Father  knows 


202  FAITH    WrORKING    BY   LOVE. 

why/»  and  I  would  fain  bow  in  sweet  submission  to 
his  will,  though  my  heart  bleed  at  every  pore.  .  . 
My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  is  that  this  trying  prov- 
idence may  lead  me  to  be  more  faithful  while  life  last. 
It  comes  very  near  to  me,  and  to  us  all.  From  my 
first  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Stoddard  she  has  been 
all  to  me  that  mortal  could  be.  Her  heart  was  ten- 
derly alive  to  the  spiritual  interests  of  those  for  whom 
she  left  her  home  and  friends,  and  to  them  she  gave 
all  her  energies.  Few,  very  few,  have  been  able,  in 
so  short  a  life,  to  accomplish  so  much  as  she  accom- 
plished. Her  family,  our  missionary  circle,  the  sem- 
inary, and  all  about  us,  shared  in  her  untiring  labors, 
and  it  may  be  said  of  her,  as  truly  as  of  Mrs.  Grant, 
'  She  hath  done  what  she  could.'  If  my  work  were 
as  well  done  as  hers,  and  if  I  were  as  well  prepared 
for  my  rest,  hovv  should  I,  too,  love  to  go  home  !  " 

While  the  mission  was  thus  deeply  aflSicted  in  the 
loss  of  two  of  its  members,  the  hand  of  persecution 
was  laid  heavily  upon  it. 

The  patriarch.  Mar.  Shimon,  after  his  return  from 
Mosul,  for  a  time  professed  to  be  friendly ;  but  at 
length  threw  off  the  mask,  and  manifested  the  most 
bitter  hostility  against  the  missionaries  and  all  who 
adhered  to  them.  He  even  took  an  oath  that  he 
would  exterminate  the  mission,  root  and  branch,  or 
lose  his  life  in  the  attempt.  He  made  common  cause 
with  the  Jesuits,  and  secured  the  co-operation  of  the 
Mussulman  officials  ;  while  many  of  the  more  wicked 
Nestorians,  retaining  much  of  their  superstitious  rev- 
erence for  the  patriarch,  were  ready  to  execute  his 
malicious  orders.  He  threatened  with  excommuni- 
cation all  who  should  continue  to  act  as  preachers  or 


PERSECUTIONS    OF   MAR.    SHIMON.  203 

teachers,  or  to  be  in  any  way  associated  with  the 
missionaries  in  their  work.  He  broke  up  the  schools 
in  several  of  the  villages,  and  caused  some  of  the 
teachers  to  be  severely  beaten ;  sent  men  to  the 
churches  to  interrupt  the  services,  and  anathematized 
Mar.  Yohanuan,  Dea.  Gewergis,  and  Dea.  Tamo. 
"Our  little  school,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  "does  notes- 
cape  the  patriarch's  curses,  nor  does  your  humble 
sister,  '  who,'  he  says,  *  is  doing  a  great  deal  to  lead 
the  young  from  the  good  old  ways. '  *  Has  Miss  Fisko 
taught  you  this?'  is  his  frequent  inquiry,  and  then 
follows  the  command,  '  Give  no  heed  to  her.'  "  He 
resorted  to  various  artifices  to  allure  her  pupils  from 
her.  One  day,  in  August,  he  sent  a  man  for  one  of 
the  girls,  on  the  pretence  that  her  brother  was  sick 
and  at  the  point  of  death,  charging  him  to  be  sure 
and  keep  his  intentions  from  "  that  devil.  Miss  Fiske  ; " 
and,  in  case  of  failure  in  his  first  attempt,  to  seize  her, 
and  forcibly  carry  her  away.  The  plan  was  provi- 
dentially defeated,  to  the  great  joy  of  both  teacher 
and  pupil. 

^^ August  28.  —This  has  been  such  a  day  as  we 
never  saw  before  in  Persia.  Sometime  before  noon, 
the  teacher  of  the  school  in  Charbash  came  fleeing  to 
us,  wounded,  having  barely  escaped  with  his  life,  from 
Mar.  Shimon's  servants.  His  crime  is  simply  teach- 
ing a  few  children  in  his  village  the  gospel.  He  had 
but  just  come  in,  when  he  was  followed  by  his  almost 
breathless  brother,  who  said  that  he,  too,  had  barely 
escaped  with  his  life,  and  that  they  were  attempting 
to  tear  down  their  house. 

"  The  affair  was  committed  to  the  Mussulman  owner 
of  the  village,  who  took  one  or  two  of  the  men  pris 


204  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

oners,  when  Mar.  Shimon  and  his  company  fled  to 
the  city.  They  arrived  here  a  little  before  noon,  and 
we  were  just  seated  at  our  dinner  when  we  were 
startled  by  the  cry,  '  A  man  is  killed  I '  and  by  a  rush 
from  all  parts  of  the  yard.  Mr.  Stocking  immedi- 
ately went  out  and  found  a  large  company  before  our 
gate,  and  several  forcing  themselves  in  to  seize  those 
in  our  emploj'.  Mar.  Yohannan  had  received  a  heavy 
blow  on  his  head,  and  all  was  confusion.  Mr.  Stock- 
ing, in  attempting  to  put  the  rabble  out,  and  to  have 
the  outer  gate  closed,  was  grossly  insulted.  It  was 
some  time  before  those  of  us  within  could  ascertain 
the  cause  of  the  disturbance.  I  sat  with  my  little 
flock  around  me,  reminding  them  that  we  must  not 
count  our  lives  dear  for  Christ's  sake.  The  turmoil 
was  soon  in  a  measure  quelled  ;  but  we  felt  it  of  little 
use  to  apply  to  the  Mussulman  auth(;rities  here  for 
help.  Their  sympathies  are  evidenlly  with  Mar. 
Shimon.  They  would  gladly  see  us  all  out  of  the 
country,  or  falling  beneath  the  bloody  knife.  Just 
at  this  moment  a  messenofer  has  arrived  from  Tabreez, 
bringing  an  order  from  the  prince,  procured  by  Mr. 
Stevens,  for  the  pn  ^-ection  of  those  in  the  employ  of 
the  mission.  It  is  t  .lely,  and  we  trust  may  do  some- 
thing foi  us.  Still  ^  J  do  not  feel  that  we  are  out  of 
danger.  We  try  to  be  prepared  for  life  or  death,  as 
our  Father  sees  best." 

^^  September  6.  —  The  enemies  of  the  cross  still 
triumph,  and  the  followers  of  the  lowly  Jesus  are  in- 
sulted at  every  step.  They  can  hardly  pass  along  a 
street  without  being  reviled,  spit  upon,  or  beaten. 
We  have  no  arm  of  flesh  to  lean  upon,  and  our  Father 
doubtless  sees  that  we  could  n-  t  bear  help  from  such 


PERSECUTIONS   Or  MAR.    SHIMON.  205 

a  source,  and  so  he  is  leading  us  into  the  deep  waters, 
yes,  very  deep^  before  giving  relief.  We  cannot  be  • 
lieve  that  our  God  will  suffer  this  vine  of  his  own 
right-hand's  planting  to  be  uprooted.  We  believe 
that  it  will  again  flourish  after  it  has  been  pruned  as 
much  as  he  sees  to  bo  necessary." 

"9. — Letters  were  received  a  few  days  since 
by  Mar.  Shimon,  from  Tabreez,  Yahya  Kahn  (the 
governor  of  this  province  who  is  now  in  Tabreez 
on  business),  telling  him  to  go  on  in  his  course,  and 
he  would  help  him  in  everything.  He  further  added 
that  an  order  from  the  prince  had  been  received  for 
his  arrest,  but  that  he  should  make  it  all  in  vain. 
He  also  sent  another  letter  to  the  Kahn  left  in  charge 
of  his  affairs  here,  telling  him  to  help  Mar.  Shimon 
till  his  return.  To-day  our  opposers,  strengthened 
by  these  letters,  go  about  as  roaring  lions. 

"  This  Yahya  Kahn  is  a  brother  of  the  favorite  wife 
of  the  King  of  Persia.  He  has  great  influence  at 
the  Persian  court,  and  we  probably  have  more  evil 
to  expect  from  him  than  from  any  other  huijaan  being. 
He  will  return  here  soon,  and  will  doubtless  do  much 
to  annoy  us. 

"  The  pious  natives  around  us  seem  to  be  driven 
more  and  more  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  to  feel 
that  the  Lord  alone  is  to  be  their  helper." 

"11. — Yesterday  two  sheriffs  arrived  from  Ta- 
breez with  an  order  from  the  prince  there,  for  the 
arrest  of  Mar.  Shimon,  requiring  him  either  to  re- 
pair immediately  to  Turkey  (he  is  a  Turkish  sub- 
ject), and  to' promise  not  to  return,  or  to  appear  in 
Tabreez  and  answer  for  his  conduct.  The  same  order 
required  the  Nestorians  who  had  assisted  in  his  wick- 


206  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

edness  to  appear  in  the  prince's  presence.    This  order 
was  procured  by  Mr.  Stevens. 

"14.  —  As  the  authorities  here  felt  that  they  could 
not  resist  the  orders  of  the  prince  at  Tabreez, 
those  who  had  been  summoned  thither  were  prepar- 
ing to  leave  with  the  sheriffs  this  morning,  when 
news  came  of  the  death  of  the  King  of  Persia.  He 
had  fallen  in  an  hour;  and  now,  until  another  is 
on  the  throne,  all  will  be  confusion.  There  can  be 
no  government  without  a  king  in  this  land.  The 
prince,  acting  as  governor  at  Tabreez,  is  heir  to  the 
throne,  and  will  probably  be  placed  upon  it.  .  .  The 
death  of  the  king  is  the  fall  of  Yahya  Kahn,  the 
man  we  so  much  dreaded.  He  will  probably  never 
return  to  Oroomiah.  Last  night  we  prayed  our 
Father  to  help  us  meet  that  dreaded  foe ;  and  this 
morning  we  hear  that  his  course  is  run.  How  easy 
for  the  Lord  to  cast  down,  as  well  as  to  raise  up ! 
To-day  we  have  been  praying  that  religious  liberty 
may  be  the  result  of  these  changes." 

"16.  — The  Lord  has  kept  us  another  night,  while 
wild  disorder  has  reigned  without.  Wicked  men 
have  felt  themselves  let  loose  in  their  wickedness,  and 
all  kinds  of  crime  have  been  committed.  Five  men 
were  killed  during  the  night  near  our  premises.  We 
heard  the  firing  of  guns  all  night.  We  hope  that  we 
may  be  kept  in  these  days  of  tumult;  but  we  are 
quite  willing  that  our  Father  should  do  with  us  as  he 
pleases.  In  his  own  way  let  him  glorify  himself  by 
us." 

The  Koords,  taking  advantage  of  this  state  of  an- 
archy, came  down  from  the  mountains,  and  plundered 
and  burned  many  villages ;  the  people,  mostly  Ma- 


DEATH  OF  THE  KING.  207 

homedans,  fleeing  for  their  lives  to  Oroomiah,  uaked 
and  starving,  to  receive  sympathy  and  aid  from  the 
missionaries. 

"  But,  thanks  to  our  heavenly  Father,"  wrote  Miss 
Fiske,  a  month  later,  "those  exciting  days  are  past, 
and  we  hope  that  some  degree  of  order  may  soon  be 
restored  to  poor  Persia.  The  young  king  has  been 
crowned,  and  all  is  quiet  at  the  capital. 

"  After  the  death  of  the  king,  Mar.  Shimon  retired 
into  Turkey ;  but  was  soon  driven  back  for  a  season 
by  fear  of  the  Koords.  He  did  not,  however,  dare 
any  longer  openly  to  oppose  the  mission,  or  the  na- 
tive Christians." 


208  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 


CHAPTER  Xin. 

SEPTEMBER,    1848,   TO   JUNE,    1849. 

Saturday  Duties.  —  Monthly  Concert.  —  First  Collection.  —  John  "  studying 
Backsliding."  —  Revival.  —  Interest  in  Degala. —  "Praying  Sarah."  — 
Conversion  of  the  Malek  of  Geog  Tapa,  —  The  Tiary  Girls.  —  Death  of 
Miss  Lyon. 

It  was  iu  the  midst  of  the  exciting  scenes  which 
have  just  been  described,  that  Miss  Fiske  reassembled 
her  pupils  to  enter  upon  the  labors  of  her  sixth  school 
year.  At  their  own  request,  a  few  of  the  best 
scholars  were  allowed  to  study  the  English  language, 
in  order  that  they  might  have  access  to  those  treas- 
ures of  religious  and  scientific  knowledge  which  they 
could  not  find  in  their  own  tongue.  The  improve- 
ment of  the  girls  in  their  studies  was  more  satis- 
factory than  ever  before. 

A  few  extracts  from  letters  will  sufficiently  indicate 
the  character  of  Miss  Fiske's  labors  at  this  time  :  — 

"iVorem6er4,  Saturday.  —  Our  girls  always  sew 
in  the  forenoon  of  this  day,  and  the  afternoon  is  given 
to  preparations  for  the  Sabbath.  To-day  has  been  a 
busy  day,  and  my  poor  aching  head  asks  rest.  We 
have  had  meetings  with  the  scholars  this  evening.  I 
met  with  those  who  hope  that  they  are  Christians, 
and  Miss  Rice  with  those  who  have  no  hope.  Several, 
who  had  hoped  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's,  were 


MONTHLY    CONCERT.  209 

constrained  to-night  to  take  their  places  with  the  im- 
penitent. They  said  that  if  they  were  Christians 
they  needed  a  new  repentance.  May  it  be  given  to 
them." 

"8. — I  have  had  an  interesting  meeting  with  the 
impenitent,  and  the  doubting  ones,  in  school.  There 
were  falling  tears  among  them.  Oh,  may  they  prove 
to  have  been  tears  of  penitence  !  " 

"23.  —  I  tried  yesterday  to  fill  up  every  moment 
with  some  work  of  the  hand  or  head.  All  my  spare 
time  I  spent  in  writing.  The  eftect  of  such  constant 
employment  has  been  a  rather  severe  touch  of  neural- 
gia to-day.  I  find  it  impossible  to  work  all  the  time. 
I  wish  I  could,  especially  as  I  do  not  like  to  have  the 
girls  ever  see  me  unemployed.  But  I  sometimes  feel 
so  exhausted  that  I  cannot  bear  even  to  take  my  knit- 
ting;  and,  as  I  have  no  strong  inclination  to  sleep, 
I  often  take  a  little  rest  sitting  quite  still.  This 
soon  restores  my  weary  nature  to  its  usual  vigor." 

"  December  2.  — To-day  we  had  a  pleasant  monthly 
concert.  Our  Syriac  service  was  attended^at  three 
p.  M.,  in  the  school-room.  Near  the  close  of  the 
meeting,  and  while  we  were  singing  the  '  missionary 
hymn,'  a  contribution  was  taken;  the  first  one  we 
have  had  in  the  city.  Our  pupils  and  others  have 
been  very  busy  of  kite  earning  money  for  the  Lord's 
treasury.  The  result  of  the  collection  was  quite  a 
little  box  full,  mostly  coppers, — more  than  seven 
dollars  in  all." 

"19.  —  I  have  never  been  so  well  satisfied  as  at 
present,  with  the  improvement  of  the  girls  in  their 
studies,  but  we  lack  the  one  great  thing,  —  the  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit." 
U 


210  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

"20. — Johu  came  into  my  room,  this  morning 
before  light,  filled  with  anxiety  for  immortal  souls. 
He  said  he  could  not  sleep  when  he  thought  of  our 
state  without  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  added,  'When 
I  am  praying,  I  feel  as  if  God  would  come  among 
us.'" 

And  God  did  soon  come  among  them  in  great 
power.  The  following  weeks  witnessed  one  of  the 
most  interesting  and  extensive  revivals  of  religion 
which  have  occurred  in  connection  with  the  Nestorian 
Mission. 

March  27th,  1849,  Miss  Fiske  wrote  to  the  teachers 
at  Mount  Holyoke  :  "  I  never  before  witnessed  such 
thrilling  scenes  as  those  through  which  we  have 
passed  the  last  winter.  They  have  sometimes  been 
almost  too  much  for  our  mortal  frames,  and  we  have 
been  ready  to  ask  to  be  clothed  upon  with  immor- 
tality, while  the  Lord  passed  before  us.  The  first 
tokens  of  this  visitation  were  seen  in  December,  in 
John's  feelings.  For  days  his  head  was  bowed  down 
as  a  bulrush,  and  he  was  mourning  over  ^is  back- 
sliding. He  dwelt  on  his  wanderings  so  much,  that, 
on  being  asked  one  day  by  one  of  the  brethren,  what 
he  was  doing,  he  replied,  in  his  imperfect  English. 
*I  am  studying  backsliding,  and  O  sir,  I  love  it 
very  much!'  His  meaning  was  not  that  he  loved 
backsliding,  but  that  he  loved  to  get  back  to  his  God. 
His  own  quickening  was  followed  by  earnest  desires 
for  the  salvation  of  others ;  and  all  within  his  reach 
were  earnestly  besought  to  be  up  and  preparing  the 
way  of  the  Lord. 

"  The  first  of  January  was  a  day  of  deep  interest, 
both  at  the  city  and  at  Seir,  though  several  days 


REVIVAL.  211 

passed  before  the  impenitent  began  to  awake  from 
their  sinful  slumbers.  The  hopefully  pious  seemed 
to  be  first  called  to  a  season  of  deep  trial,  in  regard 
to  themselves.  Never  can  we  forget  the  affecting 
scenes  through  which  we  have  passed  with  those 
whom  we  had  considered  as  humble  Christians.  An 
awful  sense  of  the  violation  of  their  covenant  obliga- 
tious  fell  heavily  on  all  of  them.  For  many  days 
some  of  them  would  do  nothing  but  weep  and  pray. 
'  How  unfaithful  have  I  beeu  to  my  Redeemer,  and  to 
immortal  souls  ! '  was  their  universal  language.  ThosQ 
whom  we  had  loved,  as  dear  members  of  Christ's 
body,  sat  down  with  the  newly  awakened,  to  mourn 
over  sin,  and  to  give  themselves  anew  to  the  bleeding 
Lamb. 

"  The  survivincr  one  of  the  two  o^irls  who  were  awak- 
ened  on  the  first  of  January,  three  years  ago,  spent 
the  day  this  year  in  an  agony  which  beggars  descrip- 
tion. Having  occasion  to  go  to  her  room,  I  found 
her  in  her  closet,  pleading,  with  groans,  fur  a  Sav- 
iour's forgiveness  and  presence,  while  hei»  Bible, 
which  lay  open  at  the  fifty-first  Psalm,  was  literally 
bedewed  with  tears.  I  could  put  my  finger  on  no  part 
of  those  large  pages  (for  it  was  a  large  Bible)  which 
had  not  been  bathed  in  penitential  tears.  I  left  the 
dear  child  pleading  in  her  closet,  assured  that,  sooner 
or  later,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  would  dry  her  tears, 
and  make  her  a  vessel  of  mercy  to  many  others.  Nor 
has  that  expectation  been  disappointed.  Having  first 
'  wept  bitterly '  herself,  she  has  been  eminently  fitted 
to  lead  other  weeping  souls  to  the  only  fountain  of 
consolation.  She  continues  laboring  with  unabated 
zeal,  both  in  and  out  of  the  school. 


212         FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

"  We  watch  these  praying  lambs  with  tender  inter- 
est. I  hope  to  see  many  of  them  bright  seraphs  above. 
Our  house  is  now  one  where  they  literally  '  pray  with- 
out ceasing.'  Our  seasons  of  social  prayer  with  these 
dear  girls  are  intensely  interesting.  We  often  feel 
that  it  is  sweeter  to  pray  in  a  strange  than  in  our  own 
tongue. 

"I  should  love  to  give  you  many  jparticulara  of  the 
interest  in  our  school,  but  my  time  is  so  limited  that 
I  must  not  dwell  too  long  upon  this  part  of  the  work." 

In  an  official  account  of  this  revival,  Dr.  Wrisrht 
says  :  "The  night  of  January  29th  is  marked  as  an 
era  in  the  history  of  the  revival  in  the  female  semi- 
nary. Up  to  this  time  two  or  three  only  of  the  im- 
penitent had  shown  any  signs  of  alarm.  Most  of 
them  had  listened  to  the  most  pungent  exhortations, 
and  the  most  rousing  warnings  unmoved.  Indeed, 
they  seemed  so  light  and  trifling,  and  to  care  so  little 
for  their  immortal  souls,  that  their  teachers  were  al- 
most heart-broken  in  view  of  their  state.  The  eveninsr 
meeting  of  the  above  date  passed  without  any  incident 
worthy  of  note.  The  bell  was  rung  for  the  girls  to 
retire  for  the  night,  at  the  usual  time ;  but  the  signal 
was  not  heeded.  One  of  the  pious  girls  came  to  Miss 
Blske,  and  said  that  many  souls  were  distressed  on 
account  of  sin,  and  that  it  was  the  time  to  pray,  and 
not  to  sleep.  The  Holy  Spirit  had  come  like  a  mighty, 
rushing  wind.  Most  of  the  school  had  assembled  in 
one  room ;  and  there  the  pious  girls  were  pouring 
out  their  souls  in  importunate  prayer,  and  the  impen- 
itent, with  scarcely  an  exception,  were  borne  down 
under  a  sense  of  their  sins,  and  were  crying  foi  mer- 
cy.    Those  of  us  who  witnessed  the  scene  can  never 


REVIVAL.  213 

forget  it.  It  reminded  us  of  a  wreck  tossed  upon  the 
wide  ocean  where  the  unhappy  crew  were  pleading  for 
their  lives.  One  prayer  commenced,  'O  Lord,  throw 
us  a  rope,  for  we  are  on  a  single  plank,  upon  the  open 
sea,  and  wave  after  wave  is  dashing  over  us.'  Eternal 
realities  rose  up  before  our  minds  with  awful  vivid- 
ness. Jesus  and  his  salvation  were  the  absorbing 
theme.  Prayer  was  continued  till  past  midnight, 
when  the  girls  were  advised  to  seek  rest." 

The  interest  extended  to  many  outside  of  the  two 
seminaries.  Miss  Fiske  thus  continues  her  narrative  : 
"  You  already  know  that  Miss  Rice  and  I  are  far  from 
feeling  that  our  work  is  confined  to  our  school.  While 
we  hope  never  to  neglect  this  interesting  department, 
we  desire  to  labor  for  our  sisters  of  every  age,  grade, 
and  place,  so  far  as  our  Father  shall  call  us  to  it.  The 
encouragement  to  labor  for  females  generally,  has 
been  far  greater  this  winter  than  ever  before.  We 
have  not  been  obliged  to  go  out  after  them,  bat  they 
have  thronged  our  houses,  asking  for  the  bread  of  life. 
There  have  been  but  few  days  since  the  r»iddle  ot 
January,  in  which  we  have  not  been  visited  by  many 
sincerely  inquiring  souls.  Our  room  has  been  conse- 
crated by  the  prayers  and  tears  of  those  very  sisters 
for  whom  you  have  so  often  prayed.  Yes,  dear  sis- 
ters, your  prayers  have  been  answered,  and  you 
would  have  wept  tears  of  grateful  joy,  could  your 
eyes  have  seen  what  we  have  this  winter  seen, — scores 
of  poor  women  leaving  their  daily  duties,  and  coming 
and  sitting  down  day  after  day  in  tearful  silence,  to 
learn  the  way  to  heaven.  They  have  always  eaten 
and  slept  in  our  large  room  (for  we  had  no  other 
place  for  them),  and  thus  have  been  almost  constantly 


214  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

where  one  of  us  could  see  them.  From  our  little 
bedroom  near  by,  we  have  often  listened  almost  the 
entire  night  to  their  prayers.  I  need  not  tell  you 
that  it  has  been  very  pleasant  to  part  with  sleep,  even 
night  after  night,  while  poor  degraded  women  were 
liftina:  their  voices  to  the  Eternal  throne. 

"The  first  interest  among  females  outside  of  our 
school  commenced  with  the  wives  of  our  two  teach- 
ers, Seiad  and  Yonan.  They,  in  common  with  all  the 
brethren  who  have  received  a  second  baptism  of  the 
Spirit  this  winter,  from  their  first  renewed  interest, 
felt  an  untold  anxiety  for  their  families  who  reside  in 
Geog  Tapa.  By  their  first  visits  home,  after  the  re- 
vival commenced,  their  wives  were  brought  into  a 
state  of  thoughtfulness ;  and  they  soon  found  their 
way  to  our  school  and  begged  that  they  might  stay 
a  few  days,  for  their  souls'  benefit.  I  need  hardly 
tell  you,  that  with  joy  we  gave  them  a  place  in  our 
room,  our  labors,  and  our  prayers.  Seiad  has  been  in 
our  school  for  many  years,  and  his  wife  has,  conse- 
quently, been  a  very  frequent  visitor  on  ouispremises. 
She  had  always  been  an  opposer  of  religion  in  its  pu- 
rity, and  I  almost  dreaded  to  see  her  face  among  our 
little  flock.  But  oh,  how  different  was  it  now  !  Day 
by  day  her  interest  increased,  till  her  view  of  her  sins 
almost  overpowered  her  fearful  soul.  Tears  were  her 
meat  and  drink,  and  prayer  her  constant  employment,^ 
for  several  days.  But  at  length,  to  use  her  own  ex- 
pression,'the  Saviour  found  her,' and  then  she  had 
peace.  When  her  feelings  became  quite  strong,  she 
asked  to  see  her  husband,  whose  counsels  she  had 
ever  slighted,  and  begged  him  to  pray  with  her.  He 
did  so ;  nor  was  she  backward  to  mingle  her  petitions 


REVIVAL.  21ft 

with  his.  This  father  and  mother  have  been  blessed 
in  their  children,  so  that  all  three  of  them,  together 
with  a  son-in-law,  are  now  numbered  with  the  pray- 
ing ones.  It  was  deeply  aflfecting  to  us  to  find  this 
little  family  in  one  of  our  rooms  a  few  days  since, 
each  in  his  or  her  turn  pleading  for  Heaven's  mercies. 
Happy  family  !  may  their  God  ever  be  the  Lord  ! 

"  Yonan,  our  younger  teacher,  was  married  two  years 
since,  entirely  contrary  to  his  own  choice,  by  his 
wicked  ftither.  His  trial  was  great  in  this,  but  grace 
triumphed,  and  his  great  desire  has  seemed  to  be,  to 
see  her  who  was  thus  forced  upon  him  a  true  Chris- 
tian. Often  at  the  hour  of  midnight  have  we  heard 
him  with  strong  cryings  pleading  for  her  at  the  mercy- 
seat.  That  praying  breath  has  not  been  spent  in  vain. 
She  apparently  submitted  to  the  lowly  Jesus  in  the 
early  part  of  the  revival.  Never  shall  I  forget  those 
melting  accents  which  fell  upon  my  ear,  when  she, 
for  the  first  time,  prayed  with  her  husband.  I  was 
in  an  adjoining  room  (unknown  to  them),  and  could 
but  turn  away  myself  to  weep,  as  their  weepirig  voices 
in  unison  sent  their  requests  to  Heaven.  This  dear 
sister  is  now  most  humbly  active  for  others  in  her  vil- 
lasre.  Because  her  father-in-law  would  give  her  no 
place  in  his  house  for  social  prayer,  she  has  for  some 
time  met  several  young  women,  at  the  hour  of  sunset, 
behind  the  church,  for  this  purpose.  The  bleak  winds 
of  February  and  March  have  not  chilled  their  burning 
hearts. 

"  John's  old  mother,  over  whom  threescore  and  ten 
years  have  passed,  has  entered  into  the  work  with  an 
interest,  which  might  cause  many  a  mother  in  our 
.Vmerican  Zion  to  blush.     Her  business  has  seemed 


216  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

to  be  to  try  to  lead  aged  females  to  the  cross ;  and  to 
do  this,  she  has  taken  them  one  by  one,  and,  in  her 
consecrated  closet,  besought  them  now  to  make  Christ 
theirs. 

"There  has  been  a  very  interesting  movement  among 
the  women  of  Degala,  a  village  not  far  from  the  city, 
and  which  has  ever  been  noted  for  its  wickedness. 
Joseph,  who  is  from  this  place,  has  very  properly 
called  it  *the  Sodom  of  the  Nestorians.'  But  we 
hope,  even  here,  there  are  already  righteous  enough 
to  save  it  from  Sodom's  doom.  The  first  person 
from  the  village  interested  this  year  was  a  young 
man  in  our  employ.  He  passed  through  a  season  of 
severe  conflict  before  his  proud  soul  could  bow.  But 
when  it  did  bow  he  seemed  particuhuiy  desirous  to 
give  his  every  power  to  Him  who  died  for  his  ransom. 
About  a  month  after  his  own  attention  was  first  arrest- 
ed he  came  to  us  one  day  with  great  apparent  emo- 
tion, and  said,  'I  have  a  petition  to  make, —  will  you 
receive  it?'  We  supposed  that  some  worldly  diffi- 
culty might  be  besetting  him,  but  said  to  hira  kindly, 
'Tell  us  what  it  is.'  He  immediately  burst  into  a 
flood  of  tears,  hid  his  face  in, the  skirts  of  his  coat, 
and  said,  'My  village  is  lost,  my  family  are  going  to 
destruction,  and  their  blood  is  on  my  neck.  C>h,  ivUl 
you  let  me  go  to-night  and  tell  them  their  state,  and 
ask  their  forgiveness  for  my  soul-destroyiiig  example  ?  * 
We  had  no  heart  to  deny  this  young  brother  his  re 
quest,  and  he  left  us  sobbing  aloud. 

"  Dea.  Tamo  soon  visited  the  village,  and  was  sur- 
prised to  find  several  persons  serious,  and  one  woman 
agonizing  for  her  soul's  salvation.  Her  case  was  ex- 
citing the  attention  of  all  the  village,  for  she  had  long 


INTEREST   IN   DEGALA.  217 

betJii  considered  the  worst  person  in  the  place,  and  so 
vile  as  hardly  to  find  companions.  Dea.  Tamo,  in 
telling  us  about  her,  said,  'Oh,  I  have  never  seen  any- 
body like  this  woman,  —  in  such  distress  and  with 
such  a  view  of  sin.'  The  next  day  she  came  to  our 
weekly  meeting,  and  no  sooner  did  I  begin  to  con- 
verse with  her  than  she  threw  herself  into  my  lap, 
saying,  'Do  tell  me  what  I  shall  do,  and  where  I  shall 
go  to  get  rid  of  my  sins.'  I  pointed  her  to  the  Lamb 
of  God ;  and  for  a  moment  she  would  seem  to  seize 
the  dying  sacrifice,  and  then  again  a  view  of  her  sins 
would  bury  her  in  a  flood  of  grief.  I  asked  her  to 
pray  with  me  ;  and  oh  !  such  a  prayer  I  hardly  ever 
heard  from  mortal  lips.  I  wondered  where  she  had 
thus  learned  to  pray,  for  I  believed  that  she  had  never 
heard  ten  prayers  in  all  her  life.  But  when  I  remem- 
bered that  the  Spirit,  and  not  man,  teaches  to  pray,  I 
was  satisfied.  This  poor  woman,  borne  down  with  a 
sense  of  her  sins,  and  derided  by  her  friends  on  every 
side,  had  learned  to  pray  where  the  Redeemer  first 
found  a  resting-place  on  earth,  even  in  the  loibly  man- 
ger. She  could  find  no  other  place  than  where  the 
'horned  oxen  fed,'  to  pour  out  her  soul  in  humble 
supplications.  I  found,  on  inquiring  into  her  case, 
that  she  was  awakened  to  a  deep  anxiety  for  herself 
almost  as  soon  as  she  entered  our  house  on  a  previous 
visit,  when  she  was  met  at  the  door  by  one  of  our 
warm-hearted  girls,  who,  though  a  stranger  to  her, 
gave  her  an  almost  convulsive  grasp,  saying,  '  My  sis- 
ter, my  sister,  what  are  you  doing?  Oh,  we  are  all 
lost  and  going  rio^ht  down  to  destruction.  We  must 
awake  to-day.'  These  few  words,  prompted  by  a  ten- 
der love  for  her  soul,  could  not  be  forgotten.     From 


218  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

that  hour  this  sister  has  gone  on  seeking,  and  we  be- 
lieve has  truly  found,  the  Saviour.  She  suffers  perse- 
cution on  every  side,  but  receives  it  with  a  meekness 
which  is  winning  souls  to  Christ.  She  is  not  left  alone : 
several  other  women  are  deeply  interested,  who  hold" 
daily  meetings  for  prayer.  Their  desire  for  religious 
instruction  is  truly  affecting.  They  all  love  to  sit 
with  Mary's  spirit  at  the  feet  of  Jesus'  disciples,  and 
drink  in  gospel  truth.  One  of  them,  speaking  with 
us,  the  other  day,  of  her  lost  state,  was  asked  if 
she  was  willing  to  forsake  all  her  sins.  She  wept 
most  intensely  and  said,  '  Oh,  what  shall  I  do?  I  have 
one  sin  that  it  is  very  difficult  for  me  to  leave ;  I  am 
afraid  that  I  cannot  do  it.'  She  was  asked  what  that 
sin  was.  Again  she  wept  most  bitterly  and  replied, 
"  I  cannot  live  without  these  words  of  God  ;  ray  hus- 
band is  not  willing  that  I  should  go  to  hear  them,  and 
sometimes  a  little  anger  rises  in  my  breast.  Do  tell 
me  what  I  shall  do  with  this  sin.'  How  little  those 
in  Christian  lands  know  of  such  trials  !  Many  of  these 
women  from  Degala,  and  several  from  othef  villages 
about  us,  often  spend  the  Sabbath  and  Friday  with 
us.  They  attend  the  morning  preaching,  and  then  all 
repair  to  our  room,  to  be  taught  and  prayed  with  till 
the  time  of  the  afternoon  service.  They  bring  their 
babes  with  them  ;  but  the  little  creatures  are  so  quiet 
that  I  sometimes  think  that  He,  who  suffered  little 
ones  to  be  laid  in  his  arms  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, 
quiets  them,  that  their  mothers  may  learn  what  it  is 
to  be  Christian  mothers.  Their  bread,  or  rather  their 
dinner,  is  laid  upon  a  cloth  upon  the  floor,  and,  that 
no  time  may  be  lost  while  they  eat,  one  of  the  girls 
stands  and  a<ldresses  them  on  their  eternal  interests. 


PROGBESS    or   THE    REVIVAL.  219 

The  scenes  of  these  hours  are  often  tenderly  t(  uching. 
The  young  disciple,  whose  lot  it  is  to  speak  to  them, 
does  it  with  streaming  eyes,  and  with  the  tender- 
ness of  one,  before  whose  vision  eternal  realities  are 
vividly  set  forth.  The  listeners,  with  sighs  and  sobs, 
attempt  to  eat,  but  frequently  stop,  feeling  that  they 
have  no  need  of  anything  but  the  bread  of  life.  After 
dinner,  those  of  them  whom  the  sisters  of  the  mission 
cannot  see,  are  committed  to  the  girls,  and  each  one 
conversed  and  prayed  with  alone.  If  there  is  time 
after  this,  we  have  a  season  of  prayer  together  before 
going  to  the  afternocm  preaching.  These  days  are 
very  precious  ones  to  us  as  well  as  to  our  pious  girls, 
and,  though  we  doubt  not  much  of  the  seed  sown  falls 
by  the  wayside,  still  we  have  delightful  evidence  that 
some  of  it  is  brino^ins^  forth  fruit  to  eternal  life." 

^^  April  3.  — The  last  few  days  have  been  days  of 
peculiar  interest  in  our  school.  The  prospect  of  a 
vacation,  instead  of  diverting  the  attention,  seemed 
to  lead  every  praying  soul  to  besiege  the  throne  of 
grace  with  renewed  earnestness.  The  voice  "bf  prayer 
'without  ceasing'  has  fallen  upon  our  ears,  except 
during  the  most  silent  watch  of  the  night.  Some, 
after  leaving  our  evening  meeting,  have  spent  two  un- 
interrupted hours  in  their  closets,  agonizing  for  them- 
selves and  their  departing  companions.  Many  of  the 
older  girls  felt  that  they  could  not  leave  till  they  had 
prayed  with  each  of  the  school  alone.  They  have  done 
this ;  and,  if  never  permitted  to  return  to  this  conse- 
crated place,  their  remembrance  of  these  last  days 
must  be  pleasant  to  them  through  a  long  eternity. 
The  little  band  separated  this  morning  with  many 
tears  and  most  fervent  parting  prayers.     The  quiet 


220  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

of  the  scene  led  our  thoughts  forward  to  the  sweet 
rest  of  heaven,  in  which  we  hope  to  participate  with 
many  of  our  loved  charge.  Not  a  loud  voice,  nor 
heavy  footstep,  nor  harshly  shutting  door  was  heard 
in  all  our  house.  All  was  so  sacredly  quiet  that  we 
could  but  feel  that  we  were  having  a  parting  blessing. 
Some  of  our  pupils  are  too  far  from  their  homes  to  re- 
turn, and  others  feel  that  in  their  weakness  they  can- 
not encounter  the  rude  assaults  of  a  wicked  world  ; 
and  so  about  one-third  of  our  number  remain.  When 
those  who  left  were  ready  to  go,  we  all  knelt  to- 
gether in  prayer,  and  pledged  a  continual  remem- 
brance of  each  other  at  the  throne  of  grace.  We 
send  forth  these  lambs  with  feelings  of  peculiar  anx- 
iety. Some  of  them  go  into  families  where  every 
soul  would  gladly  '  break  the  bruised  reed  and  quench 
the  smoking  flax.'  Others  go  to  villages  where  there 
is  not  a  praying  soul.  My  heart  is  full  as  I  think  of 
them  to-night.  Oh,  may  Israel's  God  make  a  Bethel 
for  them  in  the  wilderness  of  sin  into  which  they  have 
gone  forth  !  It  is  now  ten  o'clock,  and  stilUwe  hear 
the  voice  of  prayer  for  the  absent  ones.  I  have  juts 
come  from  a  closet,  which  I  intended  to  enter  and  to 
try  to  persuade  the  suppliant  to  leave  for  needed  rest ; 
but,  as  I  listened  to  her  fervent  supplications,  mingled 
with  weeping,  for  each  of  her  companions  by  name, 
I  withdrew,  though  not  without  anxiety  for  the  dear 
one,  who  is  a  great  bodily  sufferer,  and  who,  we 
sometimes  fear,  has  almost  finished  her  earthly  course. 
She  spends  so  much  time  in  prayer  that  it  is  but  sel- 
dom that  I  can  get  an  opportunity  to  pray  with  her. 
I  do  not  think  she  has  spent  less  than  four  hours  in 
her  closet  any  day  for  a  long  time.     'Prayer  is  the 


PRAYING   SARAH.  221 

Christian's  vital  breath  ;'  and  ought  we  not  to  allow 
her  to  enjoy  it  till  she  breathes  the  purer  air  of 
heaven  ?  " 

"8.  — The  last  few  days  have  been  days  of  tender, 
anxious  watching  over  the  praying  child  mentioned 
above.  The  next  day  her  disease  assumed  a  very  se- 
rious form,  and,  until  to-day,  we  have  considered  her 
as  standing  on  the  borders  of  the  grave.  But  her 
sick-room  has  seemed  to  us  all  the  gate  of  heaven. 
The  Saviour  has  put  underneath  her  his  everlasting 
arms,  and  the  dark  valley  has  been  all  light.  She  has 
longed  to  embrace  the  messenger  who  should  carry  her 
quite  over  the  cold  stream.  Her  sufferings  have  been 
intense,  but  have  all  been  borne  with  sweetest  patience, 
and  resignation  to  the  Saviour's  will.  Several  times 
we  thought  she  had  drawn  her  last  breath  ;  but  her 
Father  saw  fit  to  bring  her  back  to  pray  for  his  Zion 
a  little  longer.  She  is  so  much  more  comfortable  to- 
day that  we  think  she  may  partially  recover.  She 
seems  a  little  disappointed  at  tlu  pi'ospect  of  praying 
instead  of  praising,  but  sweetly  says,  'Thy  will  be 
done.'  As  I  have  seen  this  ciiild  supported  in  the 
hour  of  trial,  I  have  felt  more  than  ever  how  blest  is 
the:  praying  soul  when  God  calls  for  it.  Our  house 
was  thronged  yesterday  (the  Sabbath)  with  inquiring 
women.  I  was  able  to  do  but  little  for  them,  beinjr 
confined  to  the  sick  child,  but  the  girls  who  are  here 
labored  for,  and  prayed  with,  them." 

"10.  —  Moressa  has  just  returned  from  Degala, 
where  she  has  been  laboring  for  the  last  few  days. 
Her  report  of  the  steadfastness  of  the  praying  women 
there  is  truly  encouraging.  They  are  beaten  and 
turned  out  of  their  houses  by  their  wicked,  drunken 


222  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

husbands ;  but  still  they  cling  to  Christ.  Moressa 
had  no  rest  while  there,  and  has  come  home  com- 
pletely exhausted." 

During  this  revival  an  incident  occurred  which  il- 
lustrates the  active,  earnest,  and  practical  character 
of  the  piety  of  the  girls  in  the  seminary.  The  malek, 
or  mayor,  of  Geog  Tapa, — a  man  of  great  intiuencc 
among  the  people,  —  had  a  daughter  in  the  school, 
whom  he  called  to  see  just  when  the  religious  interest 
was  at  its  height.  Of  this  interview  Miss  Fiske 
wrote:  "Awakened,  but  not  converted,  she  tried  to 
pray  with  him  ;  then  called  in  half  a  dozen  of  her 
praying  companions.  They  began  to  pray,  with  the 
proud  man  sitting  in  his  chair.  He  sat  till  his  feel- 
ings so  overcame  him  that  he  sank  dovvn  on  the  floor. 
Now  they  felt  that  their  prayers  were  being  answered, 
and  so  they  praj'^ed  the  more  earnestly.  They  had 
permission  to  occupy  my  room,  and  there  I  left  them 
with  the  malek  for  nearly  an  hour.  When  I  went  in, 
I  found  him  bowed  down  and  the  orirls  surroundins: 
him,  praying.  He  was  weeping  like  a  heari-broken 
child  ;  and  he  was  weeping  over  sin.  Nor  was  it  long 
before  he  felt  that  the  blood  of  Jesus  '  cleanses  from 
all  sin.'" 

This  man  became  a  warm  friend  of  the  mission, 
an  earnest  worker  in  the  Lord's  vineyard,  and,  iu 
1863,  went  home  to  praise  him  for  that  prayer-meet- 
ing. 

The  effects  of  this  revival  were  marked  and  wide- 
spread, changing  the  whole  aspect  of  that  deeply  in- 
teresting missionary  field.  At  the  close  of  it,  all  the 
girls  in  the  female  seminary  over  twelve  years  of  age 
were  hopefully  converted ;  and  many  of  them  were 


THE    TIARY   GIKLS.  223 

from  that  time  bright  and  shining  lights  in  that  dark 
land. 

In  the  midst  of  the  revival,  Miss  Fiske  was  called 
to  the  trial  of  parting  with  three  of  her  pupils,  whom 
she  would  gladly  have  retained  longer.  They  were 
from  the  mountain  district  of  Tiary.  Their  parents 
were  among  the  fugitives  who  escaped  to  the  plain 
after  the  terrible  massacre  of  1843.  They  called  at 
the  seminary  door  one  day  to  ask  for  charity.  In- 
stead of  silver  and  gold,  Miss  Fiske  offered  them  a 
home  for  their  daughters.  They,  disappointed,  at 
first  declined  the  offer;  but  the  girls  were  attracted 
by  the  kind  words  and  manner  of  Miss  Fiske,  and 
were  finally  permitted  to  remain.  Sarah,  Nazee,  and 
Helenah  were  taken  in,  washed  and  clothed.  They 
made  rapid  improvement  in  manners  and  knowledge  ; 
and  became  a  connecting  link  betvveen  the  seminary 
and  the  evangelization  of  Koordistan.  They  all 
became  Christians,  and  helped  to  kindle  the  light  of 
the  gospel  in  their  distant  mountain  home.  One  of 
them  was  the  "praying  Sarah,"  as  she  was  generally 
called,  mentioned  by  Miss  Fiske  on  page  221.  The 
pages  of  her  New  Testament  were  often  found  wet 
with  her  tears  ;  and,  after  she  left,  her  teacher  found 
upon  the  whitewashed  wall  of  her  closet,  traces  of 
tears  which  she  had  shed  in  her  seasons  of  earnest 
prayer. 

The  parting  scene  was  one  of  touching  interest. 
Miss  Fiske  will  best  describe  it. 

"It  was  very  trying  to  the  girls  to  leave.  Here 
were  their  hon.^e,  their  dear  Christian  friends,  their 
loved  closets,  and  all  the  means  of  grace.  How 
could  they  leave  them  all  ?     They  had  but  three  days 


224  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

with  US,  after  it  was  decided  that  they  must  go,  —  days 
of  sadness,  tears,  and  prayers.  Many  times  we 
asked  the  Lord  to  allow  them  to  dwell  with  us ;  but 
he  gave  us  no  indication  that  such  was  his  will. 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  give  you  a  full  impression 
of  the  parting  scene.  The  whole  school  came  to  my 
room  for  a  last  prayer,  and  for  a  last  look  of  their 
loved  sisters.  All  was  silence  for  a  moment,  when 
the  dear  girls  came  to  me,  and,  in  a  weeping  voice, 
said,  'Can  we  not  go  for  a  few  minutes,  and  give  a 
farewell  to  our  closets?'  Precious  children  !  who  can 
tell  us  how  they  prayed  in  their  Bethels?  Only  our 
God  knows,  and  he  will  never  forget  those  last  prayers. 
They  returned,  overcome  with  their  feelings.  A  few 
words  were  said,  and  we  bowed  in  prayer.  We  rose 
at  the  close  of  the  prayer,  but  it  was  to  kneel  again, 
for  it  was  proposed  by  one  of  the  girls,  that  'all  who 
wished  to  pledge  themselves  to  remember  the  Tiary 
sisters  in  every  prayer,  should  join  hands,  commit 
the  dear  ones  again  to  the  Lord,  and  give  to  him 
their  pledge.'  About  twenty  soon  formed  a  circle, 
joined  hands,  and,  enclosing  the  departing  ones 
within  the  circle,  whispered  the  promise  in  the  eternal 
ear,  and  committed  the  girls  to  Christ.  There  were 
several  prayers,  and  then  they  left  us.  They  could 
not  speak  as  they  passed  out,  except  to  say,  'The 
promise  !  the  promise  ! '  We  do  remember  them  in 
every  prayer ;  and  will  not  the  Good  Shepherd  care 
for  these  lambs  ?  " 

And  the  Good  Shepherd  did  keep  them,  although 
they  lived  in  the  midst  of  wolves.  Years  after- 
wards they  were  found  by  the  native  preachers, 
wjtp  the  Jove  of  Chfist  still  burning  in  their  hearts, 


DEATH    OF   MISS   LYON.  22i 

ready  to  welcome  and  assist  them  in  their  missionar} 
labors. 

A  month  later  Miss  Fiske  received  intellisrence  of 

O 

the  death  of  her  revered  teacher  and  friend,  Miss 
Mary  Lyon.  To  the  letter  which  conveyed  to  her 
the  sad  tidings,  she  thus  replies  :  — 

"Oroomiah,  May  29,  1849. 

"  My  own  dear  E.  :  —  Your  kind  but  sad  letter  of 
March  5th  reached  me  nearly  two  weeks  since,  ^h, 
how  did  it  cause  our  hearts  to  bleed  and  our  tears  to 
flow  !  And  is  dear  Miss  Lyon  really  gone  to  join  the 
holy  throng  about  the  throne  ?  Blessed  one  !  what  a 
rich  reward  is  she  now  enjoying  in  the  presence  of 
her  adorable  Redeemer !  We  know  the  change  is 
her  gain,  still  our  Saviour  will  not  forbid  us  to  weep, 
when  we  remember  what  we,  and  thousands  of  others, 
have  lost  in  this  death.  How  kind  it  was  in  you  to 
write  me  while  her  last  sands  were  running !  I  shall 
always  love  you  with  a  fresh  love  for  this  kindness. 
While  you  were  standing  around  that  dying-bed,  I 
was  in  Geog  Tapa,  surrounded  by  scores  of  inquiring 
souls.  How  little  I  knew  through  what  scenes  you 
were  passing !  I  remember  distinctly,  that,  as  the 
first  rays  of  the  sun,  on  Sunday  the  4th,  fell  upon 
me,  kneeling  by  a  hay-stack,  the  dear  seminary  was 
brought  very  vividly  to  mind,  and  I  earnestly  sought 
that  the  Spirit's  presence  might  be  with  you  ;  but  I  do 
not  remember  that  I  asked  that  you  might  be  sup- 
ported in  trials.  You  were  highly  privileged  to  be 
permitted  to  whisper  one  word  of  consolation,  in  that 
trying  hour,  to  her  who  has  comforted  so  many  while 
crossing  the  dark  stream.     I  have  found  it  more  diffi 

15 


226  FAITH   WORKING   BT  LOVE. 

cult  to  be  reconciled  to  my  not  being  permitted  to 
stand  by  that  death-bed,  than  to  any  event  that  has 
occurred  since  I  left  America.  When  I  parted  with 
dear  Miss  Lyon  six  years  ago,  I  did  not  expect  ever 
to  behold  her  again,  till  I  should  see  her  a  glorified 
spirit ;  and  such  has  been  my  feeling  ever  since. 
Still  I  find  nature  asking  that  one  brief  hour  might 
have  been  mine  with  her,  when  she  could  only  whis- 
per '  Sweet  Jesus,'  and  eternity  was  opening  to  her 
\i^.  Her  delirium  must  have  been  a  severe  trial  to 
you  all.  But  it  was  all  right.  We  needed  not  her 
dying  testimony  ;  her  rare  life  puts  her  inheritance 
among  the  saints  beyond  all  doubt.  If  her  wishes  in 
regard  to  the  seminary  are  not  sealed  with  her  dying 
words,  tl.ey  are  with  her  living  prayers.  Will  not 
God  bless  that  dear  institution,  in  answer  to  her 
prayers,  if  not  in  answer  to  ours  who  remain?  I 
long  to  hear  what  provision  is  made  for  it.  Were  it 
not  that  the  Lord  Almighty  is  its  Father  and  Pro- 
tector, our  weak  faith  might  sink  in  this  hour. 

"  I  received  a  very  aflPcctionate  and  sympathizing 
note  from  dear  Miss  Lyon  the  last  of  March.  She  had 
Mrs.  Stoddard's  death  particularly  in  mind  in  writing 
me.  I  replied  to  it  in  a  few  days,  and  enclosed  with 
it  a  long  account  of  the  revival.  I  thought,  as  I  sent 
it  away,  'How  Miss  Lyon's  loving,  benevolent  heart 
will  rejoice  in  what  God  has  been  doing  here  !'  She 
was  not,  however,  to  rejoice  on  earth  with  human 
weakness,  but  in  the  eternal  city  with  heavenly  capac- 
ities. I  love  to  think  that  she  may  have  been  per- 
mitted to  bear  at  least  one  message  of  love  to  her 
children  in  Persia.  Mysterious  as  her  death  seems  to 
us,  we  may  be  sure  that  she  was  not  called  away  till 


DEATH  OF  MISS  LYON.  227 

needed  on  high  ;  and  that  the  great  work  of  redemp- 
tion will  go  on  more  rapidly  with  her  in  heaven,  than 
it  would  with  her  on  the  earth." 

Again  she  writes  :  "  My  poor  pen  cannot  express 
my  obligations  to  her;  nor  would  I  attempt  to  write 
my  views  of  her  worth ;  but  most  gladly  would  I  sit 
down,  and,  with  you,  shed  those  tears  which  now 
almost  blind  my  eyes  as  I  think  that  she  has  passed 
forever  away.  .  .  .  Oh,  may  the  bright  example  of 
our  now  sainted  Miss  Lyon  be  ever  before  us,  stimu- 
lating us  to  follow  more  closely  that  Saviour  who  is 
able  to  make  his  strength  perfect  in  our  weakness  1  ** 


228  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

JUNE,    1849,    TO   JUNE,    1850. 

Women  of  Degala.  —  Changes  in  the  School  Building.  —  Moressa  praying 
at  her  Betrothal.  —  Arrival  of  new  Missionaries.  — Revival.  — First  pub- 
lic Examination  of  the  School. 

The  summer  vacation  of  1849  was  mostly  spent  by 
Miss  Fiske  in  the  city,  superintending  certain  neces- 
sary changes  in  the  school  building. 

"  We  have  been  building,"  she  writes,  "  a  large  and 
convenient  school-room,  a  recitation-room,  also  a 
dining-room,  besides  rearranging  the  girls'  rooms. 
This  work  has  so  completely  occupied  my  lime  and 
thoughts  that  I  have  seemed  to  have  time  for  little  else. 
But  it  is  now  finished,  thanks  to  our  heavenly  Father, 
and  our  only  desire  is  that  our  house  may  be  "h  Bethel 
in  every  part." 

The  work  thus  referred  to  prolonged  the  vacation 
beyond  the  usual  period.  While  impatiently  waiting 
for  the  reassembling  of  her  pupils,  Miss  Fiske  was 
cheered  by  such  evidences  of  the  silent  growth  of 
religious  principles  in  their  hearts  as  the  following 
extracts  record  :  — 

^^  Nov.  3.  — We  to-day  received  a  letter  from  Sa- 
rah, the  daughter  of  Priest  Abraham,  one  of  our 
older  pupils.  Her  father  has  recently  removed  to 
Ardishai,  to  labor  there  as  an  evangelist.   This  village 


PRATER    AT   A   BETROTHAL.  229 

IS  an  exceedingly  wicked  place ;  and  it  was  a  great 
trial  to  Sarah's  mother  to  leave  her  pleasant  home  in 
Geog  Tapa,  and  be  exposed  to  the  trials  of  a  mission- 
ary life.  But  the  daughter  rejoiced  to  take  up  her 
cross  and  go.  With  tears  she  pleaded  with  her 
mother  to  forsake  all  for  Jesus'  sake.  The  point 
was  gained  ;  and  now  she  writes  of  her  father's  deeply 
int(Testing  labors  there,  and  says  she  is  permitted, 
Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  to  gather  a  large  number  of 
women  about  her  and  tell  them  of  the  Lamb  slain  on 
Calvary.  We  rejoice  that  she  can  do  what  we  can- 
not." 

"5.  —  Moressa,  one  of  our  older  pupils,  was  to-day 
betrothed.  When  the  time  came  for  placing  the  ring, 
which  is  the  seal  of  the  engagement,  upon  her  finger, 
she  was  not  to  be  found.  The  house  was  searched, 
and  in  its  remotest  closet  her  plaintive  voice  was 
heard  pleading  for  the  blessing  of  the  Holy  One  on 
what  she  was  about  to  do.  The  company  who  had 
assembled  were  long  detained,  but  Avere  deeply  inter- 
ested in  thinking  that  a  child  of  prayer  ,was  to  be 
added  to  their  family.  It  was  a  day,  not  of  custom- 
ary mirth,  but  of  deep  and  holy  feeling.  May  we  not 
hope  that  she,  and  the  youth  of  her  choice,  will  in- 
deed be  blessed?  Only  those  who  have  seen  the 
rioting  and  folly  common  on  such  occasions  can  real- 
ize what  were  our  feelings  in  view  of  such  an  engage- 
ment begun  and  ended  with  fervent  prayer." 

Miss  Fiske  and  her  associate  were  glad  to  welcome 
their  pupils  to  their  new  quarters  about  the  middle 
of  November.  A  new  year  opened  upon  them  with- 
out any  unusual  tokens  of  the  Spirit's  presence.  But 
few  days,  however,  had  passed,  when,  on  the  very 


230  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

anniversary  of  the  commencement  of  the  revival  of 
the  previous  year,  in  both  seminaries  there  appeared 
simultaneously  tokens  of  another  gracious  visitation. 
The  work  which  thus  began  "without  obiservatiou  ". 
was  one  of  great  power,  and  extended  to  many  parts 
of  the  mission  field.  The  following  account  of  it  was 
written  by  Miss  Fiske  during  a  short  vacation  in 
March :  — 

"  As  1850  dawned  upon  us,  we  felt  that  our  pros- 
pects for  labor  during  the  winter  were  favorable,  yet 
we  mourned  the  absence  of  the  special  influences  of 
the  Spirit.  The  first  Monday  of  the  year  was  observed 
by  ourselves,  and  those  connected  with  us,  as  a  sea- 
son of  fasting  and  prayer.  It  was  a  day  of  interest, 
and  of  more  than  usual  prayer ;  yet  we  saw  not  that 
agonizing  wrestling  which  preceded  the  revival  of  last 
year.  During  the  week  which  followed  there  was 
more  than  usual  tenderness  in  the  boys'  seminary ; 
and  the  same  was  also  true  amono:  our  crirls.  Two  of 
the  older  ones,  in  particular,  seemed  to  find  no  rest 
anywhere  but  in  their  closets.  Only  the  deep  tones 
of  the  bell  would  call  them  from  their  retirement  to 
attend  to  their  school  duties.  There  was  a  solemn 
quiet  pervading  the  whole  school,  which  seemed  like 
that  which  precedes  the  breaking  up  of  the  deepest 
fountains.  Nothing,  however,  very  special  occurred 
till  Sabbath  evening,  Jan.  13th. 

"I  was  not  able  to  attend  the  prayer-meeting  of  that 
evening,  and  was  left  quite  alone  while  all  the  school 
were  absent.  I  was  apprised  of  their  return  by  the 
gentle  opening  of  my  door ;  and  immediately  saw  a 
little  group,  with  silent  and  almost  breathless  haste, 
pass  through  my  room  to  apartments  beyond.    I  arose 


ANOTHER   REVIVAL.  231 

at  once  to  follow  the  little  company,  but  had  scarcely 
reached  the  door  when  I  heard  some  half-dozen  voices 
going  up  to  heaven  in  earnest  supplication.  I  turned 
to  the  stairway  which  leads  to  the  lower  apai-tments, 
and  there  a  sound  as  of  many  waters  fell  on  my  ear. 
I  found  that  every  closet  had  its  occupant,  while  the 
poor  little  ones,  left  unwarmed  and  unlighted,  were 
wandering  about  to  light  their  lamps,  or  stirring  the 
dying  embers  within  their  stoves.  I  stood  silently 
for  a  few  moments,  asking,  not  what  meant  the  sound 
of  many  voices  in  prayer,  but  what  meant  such  a 
simultaneous  rushins^  to  the  throne  of  j2rrace.  I  soon 
learned  that  there  had  been  nothing  particularly  ex- 
citinof  in  the  meetino:,  and  I  sat  down  with  the  sweet 
belief  that  we  were  about  to  be  visited  by  the  Heav- 
enly Dove,  and  that,  too,  before  we  had  asked.  It 
was  a  late  hour  before  these  young  disciples  were 
ready  to  leave  their  pleading,  and  then  they  retired  in 
perfect  silence.  The  morning  found  our  pupils  at  the 
same  employment ;  and  what  was  our  joy,  in  hearing 
from  Seir,  to  learn  that  at  the  same  hour  in  which 
such  a  spirit  of  prayer  seemed  to  pervade  our  little 
circle  the  preceding  night,  the  Holy  Spirit  came  in  a 
far  more  powerful  manner  among  the  pupils  there, 
and  the  hopefully  pious  spent  the  whole  night  in 
strong  cryings  and  tears  ! 

"In  the  girls'  school,  the  week  succeeding  Jan. 
I3th  was  one  of  deep  solemnity.  Our  older  girls, 
most  of  whom  had  given  more  or  less  evidence  of 
piety  previously,  spent  eveiy  leisure  hour,  yes,  and 
moment  too,  in  prayer.  Their  domestic  duties  were 
performed  most  perfectly,  and  then  they  fled  to  their 
closets.    Several  of  them  spent  no  less  than  five  hours 


232  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

of  every  twenty-four,  of  that  week,  in  those  secret 
retreats.  When  we  sometimes  besought  them  to 
leave  praying  for  necessary  sleep,  they  would  reply, 
'  We  have  been  asleep  for  weeks ;  doing  nothing  for 
God  ;  ruining  souls  ;  and  how  can  we  sleep  till  we  are 
forgiven  ? ' 

"  Saturday  afternoon  the  feelings  of  several  were 
such  that  they  begged,  with  tears,  to  be  excused  from 
school  duties,  that  they  might  give  themselves  en- 
tirely to  prayer  for  a  blessing  on  the  coming  day. 
Never  did  we  more  gladly  bid  adieu  to  worldly  cares, 
and  welcome  the  approach  of  holy  time,  than  when 
we  saw  that  evening's  sun  decline.  You  will  not  be 
surprised  to  know  that  we  had  a  blessed  Sabbath 
after  such  a  week  of  prayer.  During  the  morning 
service,  almost  all  the  school  were  bathed  in  tears. 
Many  a  seat  was  vacant  at  the  dinner-table,  while 
prayer,  mingled  with  sighs  and  groans,  ascended 
from  every  place  of  retirement.  We  heard  not  a 
voice,  on  that  day,  from  morning  till  night,  in  all  our 
school  apartments,  except '  the  voice  to  heaven  sent.' 
When  the  supper-bell  rang,  all  came,  but  with  coun- 
tenances which  seemed  to  say,  *  Our  meat  and  drink 
are  not  here.'  A  number  asked  to  be  excused ;  but, 
in  compliance  with  our  request,  all  w^ere  finally  seated. 
Never,  no,  never,  can  we  forget  the  scene  which  fol- 
lowed !  All  those  who  had  previously  been  inter- 
ested, with  several  others,  were  pouring  forth  floods 
of  tears  in  silent  sorrow.  The  blessing  was  asked, 
and  the  steward  began  to  serve,  his  own  big  tear- 
drops fast  mingling  with  the  contents  of  the  dish  from 
which  he  served.  Each  plate  was  filled,  but  each  re- 
mained untouched.    Those  who  felt  no  interest  them- 


REVIVAL.  233 

selves  were  awed  by  such  a  sight,  and  gazed  in  silent 
wonder,  instead  of  eating.  They  were  urged  to  partake 
of  their  meal.  Sighs  and  sobs  sent  back  an  answer 
from  many,  while  one,  rising,  seized  my  hand,  and  in 
an  agonizing  tone  said,  'You  would  not  ask  me  to 
eat  if  you  knew  my  heart.'  They  were  finally  rec- 
ommended to  cat,  that  they  might  have  strength  to 
pray.  Here  a  tender  chord  was  touched,  and  each 
hand,  guided  as  well  as  dimmed  eyes  could  guide  it, 
was  employed  on  the  errand.  Would  that  I  could 
describe  to  you  their  appearance  as  they  withdrew 
from  the  table  to  expend  their  acquired  strength  in 
praying !  Each  watch  of  that  night  found  these 
wrestlers  in  their  chosen  place,  seeming  to  feel  that 
by  an  hour's  rest  the  blessing  might  be  lost. 

"  Two  months  have  passed  since  that  precious  day 
and  night,  and  each  day  has  given  us  increasing  evi- 
dence that  the  prayers  then  offered  were  armed  by  a 
faith  which  moved  a  heavenly  hand,  full  of  blessings. 
We  look  upon  no  past  season  of  revival  with  deeper 
interest  than  the  present  one.  There  has  Ijeen  less 
tendency  to  excitement  than  formerly,  but,  we  believe, 
no  less  deep  feeling.  We  saw  no  diminution  of  in- 
terest to  the  last  day  of  our  term,  which  occurred 
about  a  week  since.  The  uniform  and  increasinsr 
spirit  of  prayer,  which  has  prevailed  during  the  en- 
tire two  months,  has  surprised  us  all.  Prayer  was 
invariably  the  last  sound  of  the  evening,  the  watch- 
word of  the  midnight  hour,  and  the  early  call  of  the 
morning.  In  one  instance,  two  individuals  spent  the 
whole  night  in  supplication.  I  could  distinctly  hear 
their  voices  from  my  bedroom,  and  will  you  wonder 
that,  when  I  slept,   my  visions  were  of  the  richest 


234  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

spiritual  blessings?  One  little  girl  of  nine  years 
would  pray  two  whole  hours  before  retiring;  and 
then  she  was  willing  to  retire  only  with  permission  to 
rise  and  pray  in  the  night,  if  she  should  wake.  And 
she  was  very  sure  to  wake.  About  three  o'clock, 
every  morning,  that  little  one's  earnest  pleadings 
would  rouse  me  from  my  slumbers. 

"  We  met  our  pupils  every  day  for  an  hour  of 
social  prayer,  and  the  seasons  were  always  those  of 
melting  tenderness.  We  often  almost  forgot,  at  such 
times,  that  we  were  tenants  of  mortality,  as  we  heard 
these  children  pleading  within  the  veil  and  close  by 
the  mercy-seat.  In  these  meetings,  our  school,  the 
parents,  brothers,  sisters,  and  friends  of  the  girls, 
were  remembered  with  overflowing  hearts.  The 
hour  allotted  for  this  purpose  was  always  too  short, 
and  made  us  long  for  that  better  world,  'where  con- 
gregations ne'er  break  up.'  With  the  following  and 
kindred  expressions,  our  last  prayer  was  almost  always 
closed  :  'If  we  have  not  been  heard  here,  we  will  go 
to  our  closets ;  and  oh,  if  not  heard  there,  we  will  re- 
turn here  ;  and  from  here  we  will  go  again  to  our 
closets  ;  and  so  we  will  continue  to  plead  for  salva- 
tion for  these  dear,  dear  ones,  till  we  drop  into  our 
graves.' 

"The  scenes  of  these  little  meetings  were  varied, 
but  always  of  thrilling  interest.  Sometimes  a  large 
portion  of  the  little  company,  including  the  hope- 
fully pious,  would  seem  to  be  overwhelmed  with  a 
view  of  sin,  as  committed  against  a  holy  God  ;  and, 
oh,  such  touching  confessions  of  guilt,  I  never  heard 
from  mortal  lips  !  They  would  seem  to  be  thrice 
slain  by  the  law,  and  then,  as  if  a  ray  of  hope  darted 


REVIVAL.  235 

across  the  mind,  a  weeping  voice  would  entreat  '  the 
Holy  One  to  walk  about  among  the  hills  of  Judea, 
find  Golgotha,  and  let  them  live.'  But  again,  tlie 
sight  of  God's  holy  law,  and  their  multiplied  sins, 
would  lead  the  same  one  in  bitterness  to  cry  out,  '  But, 
oh,  we  are  afraid  that  our  sins  have  risen  so  high  that 
they  have  covered  Golgotha,  that  it  is  hidden  from 
thy  view,  and,  oh,  then  we  are  lost,  forever  lost !  ' 
During  the  same  meeting,  we  would  again  hear  one 
approaching  the  eternal  God  with  this  touching  en- 
treaty, '  Lift  not  the  mercy-seat  from  off  the  holy 
ark  to  behold  the  law  we  have  broken ;  but  look  into 
Jesus'  grave  and  let  us  live.' 

"At  another  time,  with  a  deep  sense  of  the  guilt 
incurred  by  the  neglect  of  gospel  privileges,  the  one 
who  led  the  petitions  would  say,  '  We  had  almost 
said,  blessed  rich  man  in  hell !  He  has  not,  like  our- 
selves, to  answer  for  the  privileges  of  three  revivals, 
the  pleadings  of  the  Spirit,  and  a  host  of  Christian 
friends.  Oh,  when  we  look  at  ourselves,  we  can  hard- 
ly refrain  from  saying,  'Blessed  rich  man,  hurling  in 
hell ! '  Again,  the  Lamb  slain  on  Calvary  would  seem 
to  stand  in  our  midst,  and  draw,  if  not  all,  many  to 
himself. 

"Little  family  prayer-meetings,  .as  they  were 
termed  by  the  girls,  were  held  almost  daily  in  each 
room.  These  we  seldom  attended  ourselves,  but 
they  were  seasons  which  \v\\\  ever  be  remembe.'ed  by 
those  who  participated  in  them.  Each  room-mate  was 
then  especially  and  tenderly  remembered.  Having 
occasion,  once,  to  enter  one  of  these  meetings,  I 
found  them  pleading  most  fervently  for  one  who  had 
manifested  but  little  feeling.     Each  petition  seemed 


236  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVK. 

to  rise  higher,  as  a  Saviour's  groans  and  d}iing.  strife 
were  urged  before  the  eternal  throne,  till,  at  length, 
every  countenance  was  turned  upward,  as  if  to  be- 
hold the  dying  Lamb,  and  the  one  who  was  praying 
involuntarily  stretched  forth  both  hands,  as  if  to  seize 
and  apply  the  dying  sacrifice,  saying,  at  the  same 
time,  '  Oh,  come,  Lord  Jesus,  and  save  our  perishing 
sister.' 

"  The  efforts  of  the  older  girls  for  the  salvation  of 
the  younger  ones,  and  for  the  scores  of  women  who 
were  constantly  resorting  to  our  dwellings,  were  of 
a  deeply  interesting  character,  and  such  as  heaven 
could  bless.  The  hour  after  supper  and  before  the 
evening  meeting  was  usually  spent  in  going  from 
room  to  room,  and  warning  every  one  with  tears. 
The  entreaties,  sighs,  and  prayers,  which  were  heard 
at  that  hour  in  every  corner  of  our  apartments,  were 
enough  to  melt  the  hardest  heart,  and  to  make  the 
Christian  rejoice  that  he  was  a  stranger  in  a  strange 
land  for  his  Saviour's  sake.  Scarcely  less  affecting 
were  those  seasons  when,  in  the  seclusiofi  of  the 
v^loset,  the  hoary-headed,  superstitious  grandmother, 
the  worldly-minded  mother,  and  the  thoughtless  sis- 
ter, were  constrained  to  weep  as  their  sins  were  set 
in  order  before  them,  and  they  were  tenderly  entreated 
to  seize  the  passing  hour  to  secure  their  salvation. 
Meetings  were  held,  three  days  of  the  week,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  women  in  our  vicinity,  which  were 
usually  attended  by  from  twenty-five  to  forty.  In 
these  the  girls  always  assisted  us,  leading  in  prayer, 
and  addressing  '  the  beloved  mothers,'  as  they  termed 
all  who  were  older  than  themselves,  in  fittest  words 
and  in  the  tenderest  manner. 


REVIVAL.  237 

"  The  last  days  our  dear  girls  spent  together  were 
their  best  ones,  and  seemed  to  bind  them  very  closely 
to  each  other,  and  we  hope  to  the  dear  Redeemer. 
Their  separation  was  deeply  affecting.  When  all 
were  ready  to  go,  a  prayer-meeting  was  held  in  each 
room,  which  was  prolonged,  by  these  praying  ones, 
till  they  were  compelled  to  leave.  Those  who  felt 
that  they  had  no  interest  in  Christ,  clung  to  their 
praying  sisters  with  tears  and  sobs,  which  seemed  to 
say,  'We  cannot  part.'  The  interested  part  of  the 
school  went  forth  with  apparently  holy,  chastened 
feeling,  thanking  the  Lord  for  what  he  had  done,  as 
well  as  seekinof  orrace  and  blessins^s  for  the  future. 

"This  revival  extended  to  several  villages.  In 
Geog  Tapa  a  goodly  number  were  hopefully  con- 
verted ;  and  those  already  Christians  were,  as  John 
said  in  his  imperfect  English,  'very  much  firmed.' 
The  girls  were  very  abundant  in  labors  of  love  dur- 
ing their  vacation,  holding  frequent  meetings,  and 
pleading  with  their  friends  to  seek  the  salvation  of 
their  souls.  In  some  instances  their  anxiety  for 
their  parents  led  to  scenes  of  touching  interest.  One 
had  often,  with  tears,  besought  her  mother  to  love 
the  Saviour.  At  lengih  the  mother  said  to  her,  '  My 
daughter,  why  do  you  weep  for  me  ?  I  do  not  wish 
you  to  be  blind.  Have  mercy  on  yourself.  Why 
will  you  make  yourself  blind  with  weeping  for  me?' 
The  child  quickly  replied,  '  O  mother,  I  would  gladly 
be  blind,  and  see  no  more  with  my  bodily  eyes,  if  you 
might  be  a  Christian,  and  see  the  way  to  heaven  I ' 
The  father  of  another,  who  was  urging  him  to  pray, 
said,  'I  cannot,  my  child,  but  you  may  pray  for  me. 
She  immediately  knelt  by  his  side,  and  with  many 


238  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOTE. 

tears  entreated  the  Saviour  to  soften  his  heart.  The 
hoary-headed  man  of  more  than  threescore  ^ears 
was  deeply  moved.  Ho,  too,  knelt,  and  a  flood  of 
tears  gushed  from  eyes  unused  to  weep*.  When, 
closing  her  prayer,  the  child  arose,  the  father's 
strength  was  gone,  and  for  more  than  half  an  hour 
he  lay  weeping  under  the  stings  of  a  guilty  con- 
science." 

The  next  term  of  school  continued  until  the  6th 
of  June,  when  it  was  dismissed  for  the  summer. 
■'Those  last  weeks,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  "were  happy 
weeks.  The  Saviour  was  with  us,  and  our  loved 
charge  seemed  to  improve  more  than  I  had  ever 
known  them  to  in  twice  the  time.  They  prayed  more 
and  studied  better  than  usual.  We  were  particularly 
interested  in  seeing  their  improvement  in  writing 
compositions.  They  would  come  from  their  closets 
to  write  not  only  some  of  the  sweetest,  but  some  of 
the  best,  things  in  the  Syriac  language.  The  Spirit 
of  God  taught  them  what  we,  for  years,  had  labored 
in  vain  to  teach  them."  , 

The  close  of  the  school  this  year  was  a  memorable 
occasion,  constituting  a  marked  epoch  in  the  history 
of  the  institution  and  of  female  education  in  Persia. 
At  the  close  of  this  term,  the  first  public  examination 
of  the  school  was  held,  the  parents  and  friends  of 
the  pupils,  and  some  of  the  leading  Nestorians,  being 
invited.  Miss  Fiske  was  deeply  interested  in  pre- 
paring for  it,  and  highly  gratified  with  its  results. 
This  is  her  own  account  of  it :  "  It  was  an  occasion 
of  deep  interest  to  us,  and  to  all  who  were  present. 
The  day  was  as  fair  a  one  as  ever  shone  on  the 
earth,  and   everything  seemed  to  conspire  to  make 


PUBLIC    EXAMrNATION.  239 

it  pleasant.  About  two  hundred  guests  were  with 
us,  and  listened  with  unabated  interest  to  the  ex- 
ercises, till  the  sun  went  down.  The  pupils  were 
examined  in  ancient  and  modern  Syriac,  Bible 
history,  geography,  and  natural  philosophy.  They 
sang  two  pieces  which  they  had  practised  for  the 
occasion,  and  joined  in  several  hymns,  with  the 
whole  congregation.  More  than  twenty  of  the  girls 
had  prepared  compositions  to  be  read ;  but  the  day 
was  too  short  for  all.  The  exercises  commenced  at 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  continued  till  twelve, 
when  we  took  a  recess  of  an  hour  and  a  half,  in  which 
time  we  had  a  dinner  in  the  yard.  One  hundred  and 
seventy-five  sat  down  at  one  long  table  (the  others 
at  shorter  ones),  at  one  end  of  which  was  the  school, 
and  next  the  mothers  of  the  girls.  The  meal  passed 
off  pleasantly,  and  at  two  we  all  found  our  places 
again  in  the  school-room,  which  we  had  enlarged  for 
the  occasion  by  removing  a  partition.  The  examina- 
tion continued  till  six  o'clock,  when  Mr.  Perkins  gave 
a  most  interesting  address.  After  the  address,  di- 
plomas were  given  to  Sanum,  Sarra,  and  Moressa, 
who,  by  their  scholarship  and  good  deportment,  have 
richly  earned  them.  These  three  girls  will  be  in  the 
school  no  more,  unless  as  teachers. 

"John's  blind  old  father  was  led  from  Geog  Tapa, 
nearly  six  miles,  to  be  present.  As  he  learned  that 
the  day  was  well-nigh  spent,  he  said,  '  I  wish  Joshua 
was  here.'  '  What  do  you  wish  of  Joshua? '  was  the 
inquiry.  'I  want  to  have  the  sun  commanded  to 
stand  still  for  two  or  three  hours ;  the  day  is  too 
short.'  As  the  crowd  passed  away  several  old  men 
came,  and,  taking  Miss  Rice  and  myself  by  the  hand, 


240  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

said  with  teajs,  '  Will  you  forgive  us  that  we  have 
not  done  more  for  your  school  ? ' 

"Wo  thanked  the  Lord  for  the  Ebenezer,  —  the 
stone  of  help, — which  we  were  permitted  to  rear 
June  6th,  1850." 


WOMEN    LEARN    TO    READ.  241 


CHAPTER  XV. 

JUNE,    1850,    TO   JULY,    1851. 

Women  learn  to  Bead.  —  Dismal  Night-ride. — Moressa's  Maixiage. — Ex- 
egesis.—  Study  of  English.  —  Religious  Interest.  —  Sickness  of  Misa 
Eice.  —  Sister's  Death.  — Mr.  Stoddard's  Return.  — Examination. 

One  of  the  cheering  results  of  the  public  examina- 
tion iu  the  seminary,  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter,  was  a  strong  desire  awakened  in  scores  of 
adult  women  to  learn  to  read  ;  and  all  who  made  the 
attempt  persevered  in  their  efforts  till  they  were  able 
to  read  their  Bibles  with  facility.  The  pupils,  also, 
seemed  inspired  by  the  occasion  with  new  desires  to 
be  useful,  and  went  to  their  homes  resolved  to  do 
more  than  ever  for  the  elevation  of  their  owihsex  in 
Persia. 

"One  of  them,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "is  teaching  a 
school  of  eleven  scholars ;  and  as  many  as  sixteen 
are  Sabbath-school  teachers.  Some  of  them  have 
regular  meetings  with  the  women,  and  others  are  em- 
ployed in  teaching  mothers,  brothers,  and  sisteis  to 
read.  We  feel  that  many  of  them  are  doing  a  good 
work,  in  which  our  hearts  rejoice." 

In  August  three  missionaries — Rev.  Mr.  Marsh,  of 

Mosul,  Rev.  Mr.  Sandreczki,  of  Smyrna,  and  Rev. 

Mr.  Bowen,  of  the  London  Church  Missionary  Society 

—  spent  a  short  time  at  Oroomiah.     Miss  Fiske  did 

16 


242  TAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

much  for  the  entertainment  of  these  guests,  and  says, 
"  Their  visit  was  a  rich  treat."  With  other  members 
of  the  mission  she  accompanied  them  on  their  depart- 
ure as  far  as  Gawar.  The  Sabbath  was  spent  at  Ba- 
radost,  where,  in  the  evening,  hearing  that  a  ?arge 
company  of  Koords  were  meditating  an  attack  on 
their  party,  they  deemed  it  advisable  to  go  forward 
four  miles,  and  lodge  in  Turkey.  That  night-ride 
Miss  Fiske  thus  describes  :  — 

''  After  dark  our  camels  were  loaded,  and  we  pro- 
ceeded again  in  solemn  procession.  Oh,  how  I  wish 
my  pen  could  portray  the  scenes  of  that  night !  Think 
of  the  string  of  fourteen  camels,  sixteen  horses,  with 
their  riders  following,  and  a  dozen  men,  a  part  of 
them  armed,  walking  by  our  side.  Then  think  of  the 
night,  dark  as  could  well  be ;  our  guide  misleading 
us ;  the  road  dreadfully  rocky,  and  in  some  places 
almost  impassable  for  loaded  camels,  the  loads  often 
falling  from  their  backs,  the  animals  still  oftener 
falling,  and  ourselves  stopping  at  every  such  occur- 
rence, till,  after  six  hours  of  weary  plodding,  we 
reached  the  end  of  the  four  miles,  and  pitched  our 
tents  to  take  a  morning  nap." 

The  school  was  reassembled  the  last  of  October, 
commencing  the  seventh  year  of  its  history. 

"We  long  to  see,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "the  Spirit 
again  with  us,  by  his  special  influences.  Oh,  pray 
for  us,  that  we  may  not  be  left  one  year  without  a 
revival !  We  have  the  children  of  the  mission  in  our 
school,  and,  in  all,  they  number  forty-four.  This  is  a 
large  family,  and  our  liands  are  full,  but  not  too  full. 
I  never  had  better  health  than  now. 

"Moressa,  one  of  our  oldest  girls,  was  married  a 


fiTtTDT   OF   ENGLISH.  24^ 

few  weeks  since,  but  is  now  with  us  as  a  teacher.  I 
was  not  present  at  the  time  of  her  marriage  ;  but 
when,  an  hour  after,  I  lifted  up  the  veil  of  the  young 
bride,  I  found  her  reading  from  her  little  hymn-book 
some  of  Zion's  sweetest  songs.  It  was  pleasant  to 
see  this,  so  different  from  the  mirth  and  thoughtless- 
ness usually  prevalent  on  such  occasions. 

"  I  have  now  a  class  of  our  older  girls  reading  Isaiah. 
I  wish  I  could  convey  to  you  some  of  the  lively  im- 
pressions I  receive  from  reading  with  Orientals.  I 
intended  to  take  notes  for  you,  but  have  failed  to  do 
so.  I  may  here  allude  to  thoughts  new  to  me  on  one 
or  two  passages.  '  Men  of  strength  to  mingle  strong 
drink.'  Isa.  v.  22.  Not,  to  mix  spices,  etc.,  as  some 
commentators  suppose,  but  to  mingle  strong  drink 
(arak)  with  wine,  by  drinking  both  at  the  same  time. 
The  words  of  this  verse  are  a  common  expression  in 
reference  to  hard  drinkers  who  drink  both  wine  and 
arak.  Another  passage  speaks  of '  sowing  a  city  with 
salt.'  Judges  ix.  45.  There  is  a  plant  here  called 
the  *  salt  plant,'  which  is  sown  where  it  is  designed 
to  root  out  everything  else ;  and  it  does  it  most  ef- 
fectually. I  have  often  seen  it.  I  give  you  these 
native  interpretations,  and  I  am  interested  in  thou- 
sands of  thoughts  which  come  up  in  reading  the  Scrip- 
tures with  the  class.  I  spend  two  hours  every  day  in 
this  delightful  employment." 

The  Ens^lish  lano:uao;e  was  not  taught  in  the  school 
generally ;  but  the  missionaries  were  convinced  that 
a  knowledge  of  it  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  pupils 
and  native  helpers  was  very  desirable.  "I  feel 
more  and  more,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "that  we  can  ac- 
complish much  by  teaching  our  best  helpers  English. 


244  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

Moressa  spends  most  of  her  time  in  teaching  such 
men  as  Priest  Eshoo.  We  already  see  rich  fruits  of 
her  teaching.  Both  she  and  Yonan  greatly  need  a 
good  dictionary.  My  own  — Webster's — is  kept  in 
such  constant  use  that  it  is  fast  going  to  pieces. 
'  Holiness  to  the  Lord  '  is  written  on  it,  and  I  feel  that 
no  one  of  my  books  is  doing  more  in  the  good  cause. 
An  extra  copy  of  this  large  dictionary  was  placed  in 
my  hands  some  time  since,  which  I  gave  to  John, 
writing  in  it,  'Preach  the  Gospel;'  and  preach  it 
does,  and  preach  it  will." 

This  winter  did  not  pass  without  witnessing  in 
both  seminaries  a  state  of  more  than  usual  religious 
interest.  Miss  Fiske  thus  refers  to  it :  "  During  the 
first  part  of  the  term  we  had  a  pleasant,  orderly 
school,  each  day  being  delightful,  and  since  the  last 
of  December  we  have  had  the  special  influences  of 
the  Spirit.  The  work  has  not  been  as  powerful  as  it 
was  last  year,  and  yet  the  season  has  been  one  we 
shall  ever  delight  to  remember.  Most  of  the  older 
girls  had  been  deeply  affected  in  previous  seasons  of 
interest,  and  their  readiness  this  winter  to  rise  at 
the  Master's  call  has  filled  our  hearts  with  gratitude. 
I  cannot  speak  confidently  in  regard  to  those  who 
have  recently  begun  to  inquire  for  the  heavenly  way, 
yet  I  can  but  believe  that  some  lambs  have  been  added 
to  the  Saviour's  fold." 

During  all  these  months.  Miss  Fiske  was  feeling 
constant  solicitude  in  regard  to  a  loved  sister,  of 
whose  increasing  illness  she  was  from  time  to  time 
apprised,  and  to  whom  she  sent  frequent  letters  of 
tenderest  sympathy,  from  which  a  single  brief  extract 
is  given. 


SICKNESS   OF   MISS   BICE.  245 

''December  8.  —  I  cunuot  let  a  letter  go  without  a 
word  to  you,  my  suffering  sister.  Oh,  my  heart  is 
with  you,  and  often  my  soul  almost  bursts  its  tene- 
ment to  fly  to  you.  I  ask  my  Father  every  day  to 
relieve  your  pains ;  but  I  remember  that  he  knows 
best,  and  that  when  I  plead  for  health  for  you,  I  may 
be  asking  to  have  the  brightest  part  of  your  eternal 
crown  taken  away.  '  Not  my  will,  but  Thine  be  done,' 
was  a  sweet  prayer  when  it  was  first  uttered,  and  so 
it  is  now.  But  we  may  ask  to  have  the  cup  removed 
and  not  sin,  if  we  can  close  with  those  words.  Again 
be  assured  that  my  heart  is  with  you.  Yes,  I  do 
bear  with  you  a  sympathizing  part.  To  our  faithful 
God  I  commit  you." 

In  the  month  of  April  Miss  Fiske  was  called  to  one 
of  the  severest  afflictions  of  her  missionary  life,  in 
the  severe  sickness  of  her  'oved  and  efficient  associ- 
ate. Miss  Rice.  By  day  and  night  she  watched  by 
that  sick-bed,  with  anxious  heart  and  unwearied  care. 
The  very  paug  of  separation  was  at  one  time  experi- 
enced when  the  sick  one  seemed  to  be  actually  pass- 
ing within  the  veil.  When  Iho  girls  in  the  school 
were  informed  of  her  condition,  they  all,  with  tearful 
eyes,  retired  to  their  closets  to  commit  their  loved 
teacher  to  the  compassionate  Jesus,  and  then  were 
admitted  to  her  room  to  look  once  more  upon  her 
face,  and  receive  her  few  touchius:  farewell  words. 
But  prayer  in  her  behalf  was  heard,  and  she  was  mer- 
cifully brought  back  from  the  very  borders  of  the 
grave,  and  still  lives  to  carry  forward  the  good  work 
among  the  Nestorian  women  from  which  her  associate 
was  afterwards  removed. 
"For  a  month,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  writing  to  her 


246  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

mother,  May  7th,  "  I  did  not  go  into  school  at  all ; 
leaving  it  entirely  with  Yonan  and  the  older  girls. 
The  Lord  was  their  helper,  and  the  school  did  well 
under  their  care.  I  now  teach  four  hours  each  day,, 
coming  in  and  sitting  with  Miss  Rice  a  little  while  be- 
tween the  lessons.  .  .  My  own  health  has  suf- 
fered some,  but  I  am  now  feeling  pretty  well.  I 
feared,  after  I  wrote  last,  that  you  would  be  anxious 
about  me.  But,  my  dear  mother,  I  trust,  has  re- 
membered that  the  Lord  always  keeps  Fidelia  when 
others  are  sick.  Yes,  he  always  gives  me  strength 
equal  to  my  day." 

A  note  from  Miss  Rice  to  Miss  Fiske's  mother  will 
show  how  completely  the  missionary  and  the  teacher 
were,  for  the  time,  merged  in  the  nurse. 

"  Oboouiah,  June  23,  1851. 

"Mr  DEAR  Mother  Fiske  :  —  I  wish  to  tell  you 
what  an  invaluable  blessing  your  dejir  daughter  has 
been  to  me,  especially  during  my  late  illness.  I 
know  not  with  what  words  to  express  the  de^ee  of 
comfort  she  gave  me  in  those  days,  when  reason  was 
dethroned.  She  could  interpret  my  strange  speeches  ; 
she  could  quiet  my  imaginary  fears,  and  her  presence 
was  always  enough  to  bring  order  out  of  confusion. 
I  think  I  never  felt  more  grateful  to  any  human  being 
than  to  her  for  her  motherly  care  during  those  days. 
Even  then  I  dreaded  nothing  so  much  as  being  sepa- 
rated from  her,  and  I  delighted  to  look  upon  her 
when  I  needed  less  her  anxious  care,  as  I  was  recov- 
ering. No  one  else  could  bring  me  such  relishing 
drinks  and  food  as  she.  Others  were  very  kind  ;  but 
a  mother's  heart  will  understand  me,  when  I  say,  that 


SICKNESS   OF   HER   SISTER.  247 

no  one  seemed  like  Fidelia.  She  could  soothe  my 
aching  head,  and  arrange  my  pillows  so  nicely,  and 
calm  my  restless  frame  to  sleep.  I  rejoice  that  you 
have  such  a  daughter,  and  that  I  have  such  a  sister. 
May  she  be  rewarded  a  thousand-fold  for  her  un- 
wearied kindness  and  love." 

During  all  this  time,  while  Miss  Fiske's  sympathies 
and  energies  seemed  taxed  to  the  utmost  by  the  sick- 
ness of  her  associate  teacher,  she  had  to  bear  daily  an 
almost  crushing  weight  of  anxiety  in  regard  to  that 
tenderly  loved  sister,  who,  in  the  far-off  home  of  her 
childhood,  was,  by  slow  and  painful  stages,  going  down 
to  the  grave. 

In  reply  to  a  letter  from  an  older  sister,  telling  her 
that  the  dear  sufferer  had,  apparently,  but  a  little 
while  to  remain  on  the  earth,  she  wrote,  June  30th, 
"I  have  tried  to  control  my  feelings,  and  God  has 
given  me  grace  in  a  good  measure  to  do  so.  Still 
my  heart  is  full.  I  have  prayed  earnestly  and  often 
that  I  might  be  prepared  to  hear  the  saddest  intelli- 
gence in  regard  to  our  dear  sister ;  and  yet  I  found 
that  I  was  not  prepared  to  hear  that  she  was  so  low, 
and  probably  just  about  to  leave  you.  I  would  not 
weep  for  her,  but  I  cannot  refrain  from  weeping  when 
I  think  of  our  broken  family  circle.  The  thought  of 
our  aged  mother  being  thus  tried  is  almost  too  much 
for  me.  I  do,  and  will  try  to  be  ready  for  the  tid- 
ings, which,  I  fear,  may  be  on  their  way  to  me.  I 
will  try  to  say,  'My  Father's  will  be  done,'  though  it 
will  be  with  streaming  eyes.  Oh,  my  mother,  my 
mother,  how  will  she  bear  it?  What  can  I  do  for 
her?     Shall  she  be  written  childless  before  called   to 


248  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

her  own  rest?  Must  she  see  her  childreu,  one  after 
another,  go  from  her,  till  she  is  left  alone?  My 
thoughts  of  her  are  the  bitterest  pang  in  my  trial. 
Oh,  you  will  do,  I  know  you  will,  all  that  you  can 
for  her.  But  /  may  not  give  her  one  comforting  word 
in  this  hour  of  trial !  O  my  sister,  there  is  a  deep 
meaning  in  giving  up  all  for  Christ ;  in  forsaking 
father  and  mother, — yes,  an  aged  widowed  mother,  — 
which  affliction  alone  can  explain  to  us.  I  have  never 
had  anything  take  such  a  hold  of  my  feelings,  since  I 
left  you,  as  do  thoughts  of  my  dear  mother." 

^^  July  1. — I  wrote  thus  far  yesterday,  and  my 
feelings  would  allow  me  to  go  no  farther.  To-day  I 
take  my  pen  more  composedly.  Yes,  I  trust  I  can 
now  say,  better  than  yesterday,  'I  know  in  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  Him  will  I  trust,'  who  is  so  worthy 
to  be  trusted.  The  coming  weeks  will  be  weeks  of 
deep  anxiety  to  me,  but  my  hands  will  be  full,  and  I 
hope  I  shall,  with  my  feelings  of  sorrow,  labor  more 
and  better  for  my  Master.  I  feel  that  I  need  trials, 
and  my  prayer  is  that  they  may  not  be  lost  upion  me." 

Already  the  "  sad  tidings  "  which  were  to  extinguish 
the  last  ray  of  hope  were  far  on  their  way  to  her,  and 
called  forth  the  following :  — 

"Oroomiah,  July  17,  1851. 

"  My  dear  afflicted  Mother  :  —  My  spirit  flies 
to  thee  to-night,  and  gladly  would  my  tears  mingle 
with  yours  at  this  hour.  But  I  may  not  be  with  you ; 
and  I  am  comforted  even  in  this,  for  I  can  commit 
you  to  your  Father  and  mine,  and  feel  that  all  will  be 
well.  .  •  .  *Even  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed 
good  in  thy  si^ht,'  is,  I  trust,  the  language  of  my 


MR.  Stoddard's  return.  249 

heart;  but  of  a  deeply  wounded  heart.  I  cannot 
doubt  that  the  dear  departed  one  rests  with  her  Sav- 
iour ;  and  this  reproves  me  when  I  am  ready  to  repine. 
When  I  turn  to  myself  and  feel  how  great  ray  loss  is, 
I  am  sad ;  yet,  with  streaming  eyes  I  can  say,  'I  am 
ready  to  be  alone,  deprived  of  her  words  of  comfort 
and  sisterly  affection,  that  she  may  tune  her  harp  of 
gold  a  little  while  longer  than  it  is  my  privilege  to 
do.'  But,  when  ray  thoughts  turn  to  my  precious 
mother,  I  am  again  almost  inconsolable.  0  my 
mother  !  ray  mother  !  how  is  it  with  your  soul  ?  Are 
you  comforted  in  this  sore  bereavement?  Can  you 
rest  all  on  the  compassionate  Jesus  ?  Can  you  rejoice, 
when  the  billows  are  rolling  over  you,  that  you  are  the 
mother  of  a  daughter  passed  into  the  skies?  Many 
have  been  your  cares  and  anxieties  for  the  dear  de- 
parted one ;  but  they  are  all  ended  now.  She  has 
gone  to  the  world  where  sin  and  sorrow  have  no  place. 
Oh,  how  ought  we  to  be  comforted  in  this,  though 
our  hearts  must  and  will  bleed  at  every  pore  !  I  can- 
not express  to  you,  dear  mother,  what  I  fael  for  you 
in  this  bereavement.  I  will  not  cease  by  day,  nor 
when  evening  overshadows  me,  to  plead  with  Jesus 
to  remember  you.  And  will  not  he  who  remembered 
his  own  afflicted  mother  remember  mine  ?  Will  he 
not  take  care  of  her  till  he  is  ready  to  give  her  a  place 
with  her  dear  husband  and  loving  children  above  ?  " 

During  these  days  of  anxious  suspense  in  regard  to 
her  sister,  the  arrival  of  a  new  reinforcement  to  the 
mission  afforded  Miss  Fiske  a  measure  of  relief.  "  Mr. 
Stoddard's  return,"  she  writes,  ''  was  to  us  all  a  sea- 
son of  chastened  joy.     We  thanked  the  Lord  for 


250  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

bringing  him  back  to  us,  and  one  with  hira  whom  we 
can  and  do  tenderly  love ;  but  still  the  recollections 
of  the  past  were  almost  overwl^elming." 

The  school  continued  in  session  till  about  the  mid- 
dle of  July,  and  closed  with  a  public  examination 
similar  to  that  of  the  previous  year.  Mr.  Stoddard 
thus  speaks  of  it :  — 

"  The  examination  was  highly  creditable  to  the  pu- 
pils and  their  indefatigable  teachers.  Indeed,  I  doubt 
whether  I  have  ever,  in  any  place,  attended  one  of 
greater  excellence.  The  pupils  were  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  all  their  secular  studies  ;  and  their  fa- 
miliarity with  the  Scriptures  was  truly  wonderful.  In 
the  historical  parts  of  the  Old  Testament,  in  describ- 
ing the  minute  arrangements  of  the  tabernacle,  in  the 
analysis  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  and  other 
similar  exercises,  they  exhibited  a  clearness  of  mind, 
a  tenacity  of  memory,  and  a  readiness  of  speech, 
which  might  put  to  the  blush  many  a  theological 
student  in  our  native  land." 


VACATION    IN    GAWAR.  251 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


JULY,    1851,    TO   JUNE,    1852. 


Vacation  in  Gawar.— Visit  to  Islitazan.  —  Mar.  Shimon's  Visit.  —  Gawai 
oconpied.  —  Letters  to  Mrs.  Coan.  —  Condition  of  the  School. 

Worn  with  the  labors  of  the  school-room  and  the 
sick-chamber,  Miss  Fiske  was  glad  to  escape  from  the 
heat  of  the  city,  and  to  find  a  vacation-retreat  among 
the  Koordish  mountains.  With  Miss  Rice,  Mr. 
Stocking  and  family,  Mr.  Coan,  and  several  native 
brethren,  she  passed  five  weeks  most  delightfully  in 
Gawar.  The  company  dwelt  in  tents,  in  patriarchal 
style,  moving  from  place  to  place.  It  was  a  season 
of  rest,  but  not  of  inactivity,  as  will  appear  from  a 
few  extracts  from  letters  which  Miss  Fiske  ""sent  to 
her  missionary  sisters  at  Seir  :  — 

''August  7.  —  Let  me  write  you  of  our  recent  visit 
to  Ishtazan.  The  morning  we  started  was  delight- 
fully cool,  and  our  good  mules,  without  a  thought  or 
a  care  on  our  part,  carried  us  safely  wjt)  the  mountain, 
and  down  also.  Will  you  wonder  that  we  have 
learned  to  love  the  '  stubborn  mule  '  ?  I  never  felt  so 
much  like  kissing  a  beast  as  I  did  my  mule  when  he 
so  carefully  and  patiently  carried  me  down  that  long, 
steep  stairway.  I  will  not  stop  now  to  tell  you  of  the 
way ;  of  the  loving  embraces  of  the  clouds,  and  of  those 
lofty  mountain-tops  with  their  changing  smiles  and 


252  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

frowns;  of  the  overhanging  rocks,  asking  leave  to 
make  the  traveller's  destruction  sure,  and  of  the  firm 
rocks,  giving  shelter  in  a  weary  land  ;  or  of  other 
pleasing  sights  in  that  peaceful  valley :  of  the  sweet 
waterfall ;  of  the  ribbon  stream  threading  its  way  down 
from  those  lofty  heights,  even  from  the  tops  of  the 
'everlasting  hills  ; '  of  t]ie  smiling  groves  ;  of  the  culti- 
vated patches  ;  of  the  choice  fruits,  and  of  that  variety 
of  flowers,  which  makes  you  feel  that  spring,  summer, 
and  autumn  reign  together  there.  As  we  noticed  in 
turn  each  flower,  and  some  which  for  long  years  we 
had  not  seen,  we  were  glad  that  our  feet  had  been 
directed  thither,  and  that  those  sweet  things  might, 
for  once,  'blush'  not  '  unseen.'  We  crossed  the  river, 
and  reached  the  village  of  Oorega  a  little  after  noon. 
Here  we  found  a  good  resting-place  on  the  top  of  one 
of  the  houses,  beneath  the  shade  of  one  of  the  finest 
walnut-trees  we  had  ever  seen.  The  people  brought 
us  mulberries,  apples,  etc.,  and  then  sat  down  to  talk 
with  us  till  they  had  made  our  supper  ready.  After 
supper  we  moved  to  the  church-yard ;  and,  while  3'ou 
were  praying  for  us,  and  for  the  world,  we  were 
oated  in  the  midst  of  a  large  company  of  men, 
rvomen,  and  children,  who  were  listening  to  the  truth. 
The  moon  shone  brightly  upon  us,  and  it  was  a  sweet 
silence  that  reigned  in  that  valley,  broken  only  by  the 
preacher's  voice,  and  those  echoes  of  the  gospel  mes- 
sage which  the  hills  that  eveuino^  orave  back.  The  lit- 
ile  company  who  had  listened  with  so  much  interest 
soon  went  to  their  homes,  and  we  lay  down  to  rest  in 
the  church-yard.  The  sand-flies  allowed  us  to  sleep 
out  little,  and  we  were  glad  to  see  the  light  breaking 
from  the  mountain  tops.    Tuesday  forenoon  we  spent 


nsrr  to  darawa.  253 

in  Ooreya  and  Moosperan.  Almost  every  moment 
was  occupied  with  religious  conversation.  After  din- 
ner we  again  mounted  our  mules  and  rode  out  to  see 
the  fearful  road  that  leads  to  Upper  Jeloo.  There 
was  much  of  sublimity,  I  dare  say,  in  those  scenes ; 
but  to  me  there  was  so  much  of  the  awful  that  I  was 
glad  to  leave  the  place  and  wend  our  way  down  to 
the  quiet  village  of  Boobawa.  Here  we  had  a  meet- 
ing in  the  open  air,  and  the  attention  to  the  word 
preached  was  more  deep  and  fixed  than  on  the  previ- 
ous night." 

"  Darawa,  Aug.  16.  —  We  came  to  this  place  day 
before  yesterday.  You  can  hardly  imagine  in  what  a 
Sodom  we  are.  It  is  the  '  Guljpa,shan '  of  Gawar. 
Those  of  you  who  have  been  in  Gulpashan,  and  heard 
the  revilings,  and  boisterous,  fiendish  talk  of  the 
women  there,  can  have  some  idea  of  our  present  situ- 
ation. The  men  are  not  a  whit  behind  the  women  ; 
and,  I  doubt  not,  they  speak  just  as  they  feel  when 
they  say,  '  "We  would  not  receive  a  priest,  or  deacon, 
in  this  village  who  could  not  swear  well,  and  lie  too.' 
It  was  with  diflSculty  we  could  get  a  place  here  to 
pitch  our  tent,  or  obtain  anything  for  ourselves  or  our 
horses  to  eat,  the  first  night ;  but  the  people  are  now 
becoming  more  civil,  many  lingering  about  our  tents 
at  time  of  prayers,  and  we  are  encouraged  to  try  to  do 
them  good.  We  had  a  great  many  visitors  yesterday 
from  the  regions  above,  this  being  a  highway.  Among 
them  were  two  young  men  from  Jeloo.  Seeing  our 
tents,  they  left  their  mules  and  came  running  towards 
us  with  great  apparent  delight.  Eecognizing  Yonan, 
they  first  embraced  him,  and  thanked  him  for  his 
preaching  last  year,  and  then  poured  floods  of  'peace' 


254:  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

on  us  all.  We  had  a  very  pleasant  interview  with 
them,  and  learned  that  they  had  seen  Mr.  Coan. 
They  spoke  of  his  preaching  in  the  highest  terms, 
saying,  *It  was  just  what  we  needed.'  As  these 
words  fell  from  their  lips,  one  of  the  women  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  tent  called  out :  '  Have  you  heard 
these  deceivers  preach?'  He  replied,  'Yes  ;  both  last 
year  and  this,  and  hope  I  shall  again.'  On  hearing 
this,  she  drew  her  brawny  arms  into  the  form  of  a 
deadly  instrument,  and,  giving  an  awful  thrust,  cried 
out  at  the  top  of  her  voice  and  in  fierce  anger,  'The 
blood  of  thy  father  smite  thee,  thou  Satan  ! '  The 
young  man  laughed,  and  said,  'My  mother,  these  men 
are  right,  and  it  is  in  my  heart  to  go  to  their  school 
this  winter.'  Dreadful  was  the  volley  of  oaths  which 
now  fell  from  the  enraged  woman's  lips.  She  is  a 
fair  specimen  of  the  women  of  this  village ;  and  the 
young  man  of  those  who  call  to  see  us  here." 

"20.  —  We  had  hardly  finished  reading  your  let- 
ters when  Mar.  Shimon  was  announced  as  at  hand. 
He  rode  up  to  our  tent,  saying  to  his  attendants,  '  I 
shall  first  go  and  inquire  after  the  health  of  the  gen- 
tlemen and  ladies,  and  then  I  will  go  to  my  tent.' 
The  old  man  put  on  his  pleasantest  airs  and  stayed 
with  us  an  hour  and  a  half.  After  his  noon-day  sleep 
we  all  went  over  to  his  tent  and  called  on  him.  He 
was  surrounded  by  some  sixty  or  seventy  of  his  'mak- 
oole,'  as  he  calls  them.  He  came  out  of  his  tent  to 
meet  us,  and,  for  some  reason  which  we  cannot  quite 
underetand,  seemed  very  desirous  to  show  us  all 
honor.  He  took  pains  to  bring  our  school  into  no- 
tice, in  the  presence  of  all,  by  saying,  'I  am  afraid 
Miss  Fiske  is  not  happy  here.  She  does  not  look  well.' 


MENTAL   SUTFERINGS.  255 

I  assured  him  that  I  was  very  well  and  happy,  and  re- 
joiced to  see  him  looking  so  well.  He  then  said  to 
those  present,  This  lady  is  happy  only  in  having  a 
great  company  of  Nestorian  girls  about  her,  teaching 
them,  eating  care  for  them,  and  trying  to  do  them 
good.'" 

Miss  Fiske  enjoyed  exceedingly  this  tour  in  the 
mountains,  and  returned  with  invigorated  health, 
though  she  soon  after  suffered  from  an  attack  of  oph- 
thalmia, and  subsequently  from  an  attack  of  erysipe- 
las. Owing  to  the  prevalence  of  fever,  from  which 
several  of  the  pupils  were  suffering,  the  school  was 
not  reassembled  till  about  the  close  of  October.  A 
fresh  burden  of  care  and  labor  was  every  year  imposed 
upon  the  teachers  by  the  new  scholars  who  were  re- 
ceived. "Our  school,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "numbers 
forty.  Several  of  the  girls  are  very  wild  and  rude. 
They  give  us  a  great  deal  of  anxiety  and  care.  You 
can  hardly  conceive  how  very  low  these  girls  are 
when  we  take  them.  They  are  as  filthy  as  the  beasts, 
and  will  lie  as  fast  as  they  can  speak.  GPace,  and 
grace  alone,  can  subdue  them."  Yet  she  adds,  "Our 
school  is  very  pleasant.  I  do  not  know  that  I  ever  had 
more  pleasure  in  my  duties.  I  am  very  well ;  but  I 
find  that  I  cannot  confine  myself  as  closely  as  I  used  to 
do.  I  mean  to  be  very  careful ;  for  I  feel  that  it  is  a 
duty  to  take  care  of  the  body  as  well  as  the  soul." 

Whether  absorbed  in  her  work  among  the  moun- 
tains, or  in  her  school,  the  grief  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  her  loved  sister  remained  fresh  and  keen. 
Her  letters  to  her  family  friends  disclose  a  degree  of 
mental  sufierinfi:  of  which  her  incessant  labors  in  her 
Master's  service  gave  no  indications.     Her  sensibili- 


256  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

ties  were  too  delicate,  her  social  affections  too  strong, 
to  recover  quickly  from  so  deep  a  wound,  while 
her  love  for  souls,  and  her  conscientious  devotion  to 
Christ  would  not  allow  her  to  fold  her  hands  and 
yield  herself  up  to  the  sorrow  that  was  flooding  her 
soul.  With  apparent  cheerfulness,  and  with  untiring 
zeal,  she  labored  for  her  degrade .1  Nestorian  sisters; 
but  when  she  took  her  pen  to  address  any  of  her  dis- 
tant kindred,  the  pent-up  feelings  of  her  smitten  heart 
found  full  expression.  From  this  bitter  experience 
she  did  not  fail  to  gather  precious  fruit.  To  her  only 
surviving  sister  she  writes,  November  12th  :  — 

"  I  had  never  really  expected  to  hear  of  the  death 
of  either  of  my  sisters,  and  I  think  that  my  prayers 
had  been  comparatively  few  that  I  might  be  prepared 
for  such  tidings.  I  now  desire  very  much  to  be  ready 
and  willing  to  give  you  all  up,  and  to  be  alone  in  the 
world.  It  is  sweet  to  love  and  to  be  loved,  but  we 
must  give  our  Saviour  the  first  place ;  our  dearest 
earthly  friends  must  have  a  second  place,  or  they 
will  certainly  be  taken  from  us.  I  feel  that  I  have 
always  been  prone  to  set  my  heart  too  strongly  upon 
my  friends.  Not  that  I  have  loved  any  of  you  too 
tenderly,  but  I  have  always  felt  that  I  could  not  spare 
one  of  my  family  friends.  I  do  hope  and  pray  that  I 
may,  henceforth,  be  ready  at  any  moment  to  have  any 
earthly  tie  broken ;  and  I  hope  you  will  feel  'he  same 

when  you  think  of  me.     Since  hearing  of  L '? 

death  my  feelings  of  grief  have  been  so  intense,  I  have 
almost  wished  that,  in  death,  the  rest  of  us  might  not 
be  divided.  But  let  our  Father's  will  be  done.  If 
he  helps  us,  we  can  bear  all  things.     .     .     . 

"  And  has  our  dear  mother  suffered  so  much  I     Oh, 


LETTERS    TO   MRS.    COAN.  257 

that  I  could  have  added  one  drop  of  comfort  during 
those  sorrowing  days  !  She  was  in  my  heart  almost 
all  the  time  last  summer ;  and  if  I  have  ever  prayed 
for  her,  it  has  been  since  hearing  of  our  sad  bereave- 
ment. It  must  be  a  great  privilege,  which  I  know 
you  will  prize,  to  have  her  with  you.  My  heart 
swells,  and  my  eyes  fill  with  tears,  as  I  think  what  a 
comfort  she  would  be  to  me.  I  sit  in  my  little  room 
many  hours,  my  hands  filled  with  work,  but  my  heart 
longing  for  my  mother's  company.  If  I  may  never 
see  her,  I  will  try  to  comfort  her  by  frequent  letters." 

The  establishment  of  a  permanent  missionary  sta- 
tion in  the  mountains  of  Koordistau,  for  which  Dr. 
Grant  had  so  earnestly  labored,  was  not  lost  sight  of 
by  the  mission  after  his  death.  The  way  had  gradu- 
ally been  prepared,  and  the  time,  it  was  thought,  had 
come,  for  some  members  of  the  mission  to  make  their 
home  in  Gawar.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Coan,  and  Mr.  Rhea, 
were  appointed  to  this  field,  and  removed  thither  in 
the  autumn  of  1851.  Miss  Fiske  felt  a  deep  interest 
in  the  undertaking,  which  her  vacation  visitsjiad  done 
much  to  render  practicable  at  this  time.  She  fol- 
lowed with  the  tenderest  sympathy  those  who  went 
forth  to  brave  the  rigors  of  a  winter  in  the  mountains, 
and  to  endure  the  privations  and  hardships  incident 
to  a  life  among  such  a  rude  and  degraded  people. 
Her  letters  to  Mrs.  Coan  were  frequent,  extracts  from 
which  will  help  complete  the  picture  of  her  own  life 
at  this  period  :  — 

''Nov.  25.  —  I  have  felt,  and  do  feel,  so  much  in- 
terest in  Gawar  that  my  thoughts  are  very  often  with 
you.  I  know  that  you  have  a  trying  field,  and  I  feel 
for  you  in  all  your  perplexities.  Yes,  my  heart  will 
Vf 


258  FAITH   WORKING   Bf  LOVE. 

always  be  with  you,  and  I  shall  love  to  commend  you, 
as  often  as  I  do  myself,  to  heavenly  guidance.  I 
liope  and  expect  that  you  will  this  winter  see  precious 
fruits  of  your  labors." 

"28. — I  sympathize  with  you  in  all  your  trials 
about  getting  your  daily  bread.  We  were  troubled 
just  so  last  summer.  I  wish  we  could  do  something 
more  for  you.  Can  we  not?  Would  3'ou  not  like  to 
have  me  make  your  butter?  I  can,  just  as  well  as 
not,  and  the  footman  can  carry  it." 

"  30.  —  In  our  women's  Sabbath  school  I  have 
those  who  cannot  learn  to  use  a  book.  I  com- 
menced with  the  creation,  and  purpose  to  go  on  giv- 
ing them  the  history  of  the  Old  Testament.  If  we 
can  only  find  something  to  arouse  their  dark  and 
stupid  minds,  I  shall  hope  that  they  will  be  prepared 
for  the  Spirit  to  affect  them  savingly.  Our  older 
girls  help  us  so  much  this  year,  that  I  find  more  time 
than  ever  before  to  labor  for  the  women.  I  feel  that 
I  have  been  so  much  engrossed  with  my  school  the 
last  two  or  three  years,  that  I  have  not  done  my  duty 
to  my  poor  sisters.  They  must  live  forever  in  happi- 
ness or  misery.  How  should  this  thought  urge  us  on 
to  labor  for  those  who  seem  so  unpromising  !  They 
are  probably  no  more  superstitious  and  wicked  than 
was  the  one  our  Saviour  met  at  the  well ;  and  his 
power  is  not  less  now  than  when  he  caused  her  to  sit 
in  sweet  penitence  at  his  feet." 

"  December  1 .  —  We  had  our  first  missionary  meet- 
ing this  year,  with  the  girls,  to-night.  We  took  the 
missionary  map  and  went  over  the  world,  telling  the 
religion  of  every  nook  and  corner.  I  was  surprised 
to  find  the  older  ones  so  perfectly  familiar  with  the 


LETTERS   TO   MRS.    CO  AN.  259 

general  religions  of  the  world.  I  thanked  my  God 
for  it,  and  resolved,  if  life  and  health  are  spared,  to 
have  a  meetins^  of  the  kind  once  a  week  durinsr  the 
winter.  Ten  of  the  girls  will  probably  never  return 
again  after  this  year,  and  they  ought,  when  they  leave, 
to  be  good  missionary  scholars.  I  feel  so  well  this 
year,  that  labor  is  a  precious  privilege." 

"12.  —  I  feel  for  you  most  sympathizingly  in  all 
your  trials.  I  know  that  you  are  blessed  .with  a  sen- 
sitive nature,  which  keenly  feels  such  things  as  you 
are  now  exposed  to  ;  and  I  could  not  wish  that  you 
might  not  feel  them ;  but  I  rejoice  that  grace  enables 
you  to  bear  them  cheerfully.  We  shall  not  be  re- 
warded for  not  feeling,  but  for  bearing,  when  every 
tender  and  delicate  feeling  is  sorely  tried." 

"22. — Do  you  know,  my  dear  sister,  that  the 
winds,  the  clouds,  and  the  falling  snow  come  to  us 
this  winter  with  a  voice  they  never  had  before?  Yes, 
they  remind  us  of  those  who  are  now  far  away  for 
Jesus'  sake.  True,  these  messengers  speak  to  us  in 
some  sweet  tones,  for  they  bid  us  thank  our  God  for 
the  grace  given  you  to  go  up  and  possess  the  land ; 
but  they  make  some  hearts  deeply  anxious  for  you. 
.  I  am  afraid  you  are  trying  to  do  too  much. 
What  seems  to  us  but  little  may  be  more  in  the  eye 
of  Omniscience  than  what  we  count  the  success  of 
months  or  years.  How  very  little  we  know  of  the 
Lord's  ways,  or  of  what  we  are  doing  for  him  !  I 
have  been  exceedingly  happy  in  school  this  winter, 
and  have  felt  that  our  pupils  were  rapidly  improving; 
but  a  sadness  has  often  stolen  over  me  when  I  have 
thought  that  perhaps  we  were  not  blessed  in  reality. 
Those  days,  when,  with  weeping  eyes  and  a  broken 


260  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

heart,  I  felt  that  all  was  going  to  desolation,  and 
prayed  accordingly,  may  have  been  better  days  than 
these.  Those  of  our  pupils  who  have  appeared  to 
love  the  Saviour  in  past  days  are  very  consistent  in 
their  daily  walk,  and  are  very  often  at  the  throne  of 
grace ;  but  we  do  not  see  new  cases  of  interest,  and  I 
sometimes  fear  that  we  may  fill  our  precious  winter 
months  with  labor,  and  yet  not  win  souls  to  Christ. 

"  Our  classes  in  the  Bible  are  deeply  interesting. 
The  only  one  into  which  I  go  daily  is  now  reading 
the  book  of  Ezra,  and  in  connection  with  it  the  books 
of  Has:o:ai  and  Zechariah.  We  were  so  much  inter- 
ested  this  afternoon  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  chapters 
of  Zechariah,  that  the  sun  went  down  before  we  could 
leave  them,  and  for  half  an  hour  we  had  candles. 
We  have  never  read  the  prophets  much  together,  and 
the  interest  of  the  girls  is  intense." 

"  January  15,  1852.  —  You  ask  advice  in  regard  to 
teaching  those  women.  I  fear,  with  you,  that  they 
may  not  all  learn  to  read ;  but  if  they  do  not,  your 
labor  will  not  be  lost.  A  woman  who  knows  her 
letters  only,  respects  herself  the  more,  and  feels  an 
interest  in  her  children's  learning  to  read,  which  you 
do  not  see  in  others." 

"30. — Whoever  undertakes  to  do  anything  for 
women  and  girls  here,  has  a  trying  work.  They  are 
more  degraded  and  more  difficult  to  raise  than  they 
can  realize  who  have  never  labored  expressly  for 
them.  I  very  seldom  speak  of  what  I  consider  the 
great  obstacles  in  the  way  of  benefiting  them.  I  feel 
so  much  on  this  subject,  and  in  reference  to  my  own 
deficiencies,  and  the  want  of  a  blessing  on  my  labors, 
^hat  my  heart  is  too  full  to  talk.     It  is  a  comfort  to 


VISITS   TO   GEOG    TAPA.  261 

water  one's  couch  with  tears,  and  then  commit  all  to 
Christ." 

^^  February  14. — I  know  too  well  how  you  feel 
when  your  women  quarrel,  and  say  thej'-  will  come  no 
more,  etc.  My  first  years  here  were  full  of  just  such 
trials.  Sometimes,  when  all  was  going  on  quietly  in 
our  little  school-room,  an  angry  mother's  voice  would 
be  heard  at  the  door,  and  she  would  come  in  to  storm 
and  rave  because  her  child  had  no  better  clothes  or 
food.  How  many  times,  as  day  after  day  such  trials 
come,  have  I  asked,  '  Shall  I  ever  see  any  fruit  of  my 
labors?'  I  have  cried  and  worked,  and  worked  and 
cried,  and  stooped  down  and  written  my  sorrows  in 
the  dust.  I  write  freely  to  you,  but  I  do  not  speak 
of  my  trials  to  others,  because  they  do  not  under- 
stand them.  I  often  think  of  dear  Miss  Lyon's 
words,  '  The  more  degraded  those  for  whom  you  labor, 
the  more  blessed  are  you  in  laboring  for  them.'  Is  it 
so?  Then,  dear  sister,  let  us  take  a  strong  hold  of 
our  work.  We  will  try  to  go  onward  and  look  up- 
ward. The  work,  though  a  trying  one,  mustl^e  done, 
and  shall  not  we  rejoice  to  labor  in  such  a  cause? 
One  poor  woman  or  girl  in  glory  will  make  us  count 
each  trial  for  her  a  precious  privilege." 

Miss  Fiske  made  frequent  visits  to  Geog  Tapa  to 
aid  and  encourage  in  the  work  of  teachinof  the  women. 
Of  one  of  these  visits  she  thus  wrote  :  "  I  spent  yes- 
terday in  Geog  Tapa.  We  visited  Moressa's  school, 
and  were  deliofhted  with  it.  Moressa  is  a  more  than 
ordinary  teacher,  and  she  gives  her  whole  mind  and 
soul  to  the  work.  Her  little  girls  are  taught  to  gov- 
em  themselves,  and  to  try  to  do  good  as  well  as  to 
learn  to  read.     The  women  in  Geog  Tapa  are  doing 


2f52  PAItH   WORKING   BY  LOVfi. 

better  than  ever.  Poor  ones  I  they  make  a  desperate 
effort  to  learn  to  read,  and  many  of  them  are  reaching 
the  desired  object.  We  found  three  in  a  yard  yester 
day  with  their  wheels,  spinning,  being  taught  Scrip- 
ture history  by  one  of  the  girls.  While  their  wheels 
were  buzzing,  the  girl's  voice  was  raised  above  the 
noise,  telling  of  Israel's  wanderings  in  the  wilderness. 
Do  you  think  thtrt  Solomon's  wise  woman,  when  she 
laid  her  hands  to  the  distaff,  did  better  than  these? 
My  heart  is  full  when  I  see  such  things,  and  I  want 
to  bring  our  dear  American  friends  to  us  on  eagle's 
wings,  that  they  may  rejoice  with  us." 

The  school  was  dismissed  for  the  summer,  June  1st. 
The  next  day  Miss  Fiske  writes :  "  The  last  winter 
has  been  a  season  of  more  than  usual  care,  and  I  can 
hardly  tell  you  how  it  seemed  last  night  to  sit  down 
in  my  little  room  and  feel  that  I  need  go  neither  this 
way  nor  that,  but  could  rest.  In  a  fortnight  we  ex- 
pect to  go  to  Gavalan  to  spend  the  summer,  and  to 
take  our  first  .class  — ten  in  number  —  with  us." 

Of  the  condition  of  the  seminary,  during  this  year, 
Mr.  Stocking  says  :  "  It  never  gave  more  gratifying 
evidence  of  intellectual  and  general  improvement  than 
at  present.  It  has  baen  found  practicable  to  bring 
the  schools  under  as  strict  regulations,  in  all  respects, 
as  are  introduced  into  similar  institutions  in  America. 
Their  time  is  regularly  divided  into  hours  for  study, 
exercise,  and  recreation.  Accounts  of  delinquencies 
for  not  observing  the  rules  of  the  school  are  regularly 
given  ;  and  it  is  seldom  that  one  is  found  tardy  in  re- 
tiring, rising,  at  meals,  etc.  It  is  an  important  fact, 
showing  the  disposition  of  the  pupils  to  conform  to 
our  wishes,  that  for  the  last  four  months  there  have 


CONDITION  OF  THE   SCHOOL.  263 

been  but  five  communications  during  study  hours, 
both  in  school  and  in  their  own  rooms,  either  by  whis- 
pering or  other  outward  signs  ;  and  those  were  made 
by  girls  who  had  been  but  a  short  time  with  us. 

"Though  there  has  not  been,  during  the  present 
season,  that  special  religious  interest  which  we  have 
reported  in  former  years,  we  can  speak  of  a  decided 
growth  of  religions  principle.  The  piety  and  benevo- 
lence of  the  scholars  find  scope  for  exercise,  on  oc- 
casions set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  needle,  and  for 
the  teaching  of  numbers  of  their  own  sex  who  are 
easfer  for  instruction." 


?<54  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

JUNE,    1852,  TO  JUNE,    1853. 

Vacation  at  Gavalan. — Entertainment  of  English,  Russian,  and  Peraian 
Commissioners.  —  Choleia  — Death  of  Gozel,  of  John's  Parents,  and 
of  Judith  Perkins.  —  Question  of  Return  to  America  Considered.  — 
Domestio  Department  of  the  School. — Religious  Interest. — Ophthal- 
mia. 

Mr.  Stocking  and  his  family,  having,  for  sanitary 
reasons,  removed  to  Gavalan  early  in  the  summer  of 
1852,  Miss  Fiske  and  Miss  Rice,  with  their  class  of 
oldest  pupils,  joined  them  about  the  mid.lle  of  June. 
Teachers  and  pupils  alike  were  interested  in  doing 
something  for  the  poor  ignorant  women  there.  "  We 
gathered  them  together,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  ^' on  our 
first  Sabbath  in  Gavalan,  and  gave  each  girl  her 
charge.  For  two  Sabbaths  all  went  on  finely ;  but, 
on  the  third,  the  women  and  children  were  nearly 
all  missing.  On  inquiry,  we  found  they  had  heard 
that  we  were  teaching  them,  preparatory  to  sending 
them  to  America.  The  poor  mothers  were  greatly 
alarmed,  and  not  only  withdrew  their  children,  but 
absented  themselves.  During  the  following  week 
we  visited  them  all  in  their  homes,  and  the  next 
Sabbath  they  were  found  in  their  places  in  the  Sab- 
bath school." 

Not  many  weeks   passed  before  Miss  Fiske  was 


ENTERTAINMENT   OF   COMMISSIONERS.  2<55 

summoned  to  Seir,  by  Dr.  Perkins,  to  assist  in  enter- 
taiuins:  the  Eu2:lish,  Russian,  and  Persian  commission- 
ers  appointed  to  fix  the  boundary  between  Turkey 
and  Persia.  Although  regretting  to  be  absent  so  long 
from  her  pupils,  she  cheerfully  obeyed  the  summons, 
and  highly  enjoyed  meeting  those  distinguished  per- 
sons ;  contributing  not  a  little  to  their  pleasure  and 
entertainment  while  they  were  the  guests  of  the  mis- 
sion. Her  Ions:  residence  among  a  rude  and  uncul- 
tured  people  had  not  disqualified  her  for  those  duties 
of  courtesy  and  hospitality,  which  prevail  in  refined 
and  polite  circles.  She  could  one  day  sit  on  the 
mud  floor  of  the  Nestorian  hovel,  instructins^  i^no- 
rant  and  degraded  women  ;  and  the  next,  preside  with 
grace  and  dignity  at  the  entertainment  of  princes  and 
nobles.  In  his  funeral  sermon  Dr.  Perkins  thus 
alludes  to  this  trait  of  her  character  :  — 

"  Her  rare  versatility  of  power  was  sometimes  con- 
spicuous in  the  entertainment  of  large  European  par- 
ties as  our  guests,  whose  visits  here  have,  indeed, 
been  few  and  far  between  ;  but,  whenever  they  have 
occurred,  as  in  the  case  of  General  Williams  and 
his  large  party,  while  surveying  the  boundary,  and 
of  the  British  Ambassador,  Mr.  Murray  and  his 
suite,  when  leaving  Persia  for  Bagdad,  she  has 
shown  herself  equal  to  any  position  in  the  social 
circle,  and  quite  prepared  to  fill  and  adorn  any 
sphere  of  female  duty  and  responsibility;  and  she 
never  failed  to  command  the  high  respect  of  all  such 
guests,  as  an  accomplished  lady,  as  well  as  the  peer- 
less principal  of  our  female  seminary." 

This  year  the  city  of  Oroomiah,  and  many  of  the 
villages  of  the  plain  were  again  visited  by  that  fear- 


266  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

ful  scourge,  the  cholera,  which  swept  the  people  int<> 
the  grave  by  thousands.  .  Amoug  the  early  victims 
was  one  of  the  pupils  of  Miss  Fiske,  of  whom  she 
thus  writes :  — 

"  Gozel  was  the  daughter  of  a  most  pious  and  de- 
voted father,  who  for  a  long  time  seemed  to  desire 
nothing  so  much  as  her  conversion.*     She  had  taught 
both  her  parents  to  read  when  they  were  more  than 
forty  years  old,  and  had  given  them  a  great  deal  of 
valuable  instruction.     Their  heart  was  bound  up  in 
their   '  teacher,'   as   they   always   called    her.      The 
Saturday  evening  preceding  her  death  she  prepared 
her   lesson   for   the   Sabbath  school ;   but  when  the 
school  assembled,  Sabbath  noon,  she  was  at  the  bar 
of  God.     Her  parents  looked  back  on  that  last  even- 
ing of  her  life  with  peculiar  delight.     They  were  a 
happy  family,  studying  the  Bible  together.     When 
they  had  finished  their  lesson,  the  father  said,  '  Gozel, 
my  daughter,  will  you  pray  with  us?'    They  knelt 
with  her  in  gladness,  not  knowing  that  it  was  the 
last  time.     After  prayer,  she  again  took  Ijer  Testa- 
ment, read  a  chapter,  and  then  retired  for  prayer. 
Her  father  noticed  that  she   remained   longer  than 
usual  in  her  closet,  and  he  was  also  struck  with  the 
fervency  of  her  devotions.     He  waited  till  she  was 
ready  to  retire,  and  then  the  happy  familj'  separated 
all  in  good  health,  and  in  the  hope  of  many  years  of 
happiness.      But   at    midnight  the   angel   of    death 
passed  that  way,  and  called  for  the  loved  daughter. 
Before  noon  she  died,  and  before  the  settinor  of  the 
sun  she  was  borne  to  her  lonof  home." 

The  next  messenger  brought  them  the  sad  tidings 
that  John's  blind  old  father,  more  than  ninety  years 


btlATHS   FROM    CHOLERA- 


26? 


of  a^e,  had  been  smitten  down  by  the  cholera.  "For 
several  years,"  says  Miss  Fiske,  "  this  good  man  had 
given  delightful  evidence  of  piety.  After  his  con- 
version he  seldom  passed  a  whole  night  without  rising 
and  going  into  his  closet  to  pray,  and  each  member 
of  our  mission  was  at  such  times  remembered  by 
name.  He  followed  all  the  young  preachers  with  his 
prayers.  When  a  company  returned  from  the  moun- 
tains last  year,  he  said  to  them,  'God  is  my  witness, 
that  three  times  each  day  I  have  asked  him  not  to 
allow  you  to  come  back  with  heads  bowed  down.' 
Many  a  time,  after  he  became  sightless,  have  we  sat 
by  his  side,  and  heard  him  thank  God  that  he  had 
taken  the  gift  of  sight  from  him.  '  My  blindness  is 
the  greatest  blessing  of  ray  life,'  he  would  say.  'I 
am  now  entirely  cut  off  from  the  world,  and  I  have 
nothing  to  do  but  to  pray  and  praise.'  Just  before  his 
death  he  roused  himself  from  a  stupor,  and  called  for 
his  children  and  his  children's  children  to  the  fourth 
creneration  to  stand  beside  him.  With  uplifted  hands 
he  blessed  them,  and  then  fell  asleep.  > 

"  The  next  Sabbath  John's  mother  was  prostrated 
by  the  same  disease,  and,  after  a  few  hours  of  suffer- 
ino-,  her  joyous  spirit  was  released  also.  When  almost 
gone,  John  said  to  her,  'Mother,  where  are  you?' 
'  I  am  walking  after  Jesus,'  was  her  sweet  reply.  At 
the  time  of  John's  conversion  she  violently  opposed 
him.  For  years,  when  he  attempted  to  have  family 
prayers,  she  would  engage  iu  some  kind  of  work  to 
disturb  him.  During  all  this  time,  John  labored  and 
prayed  for  her ;  but  his  heart  often  sank  within  him  as 
he  looked  at  her  hardness  of  heart.  The  winter  of 
1848,  however,  brought  comfort  to  John  and  to  us 


268  FAITH  WORKDfG  BY  LOVE. 

also,  as  we  heard  her  in  agony,  inquiring,  *  Is  there 
mercy  for  such  a  sinner  as  I  am  ? '  She  came  to  me 
one  day,  the  big  tears  rolling  down  her  cheeks,  say- 
ing, *  I  am  not  now  that  self-righteous  woman  I  used 
to  be.  There  is  no  such  evil  heart  in  this  village  as 
mine.  It  is  a  cage  of  everything  unclean.  There  is 
in  it  a  serpent  of  a  hundred  heads,  that  has  pierced 
every  part  of  it.'  She  was  pointed  to  the  Friend  of 
sinners,  and  seemed,  during  that  winter,  to  take  hold 
of  him ;  but  her  wicked  heart  was  still  her  theme 
more  than  her  Saviour.  She  used  at  that  time  to 
take  the  women  of  the  village  with  her  into  a  stable, 
and  there,  where  the  '  horned  oxen '  were  feeding,  tell 
them  of  their  sins  ;  but  was  seldom  heard  to  speak 
of  future  punishment.  When  asked  in  regard  to  the 
justice  of  God  in  punishing  her,  she  replied,  'If  I 
must  atone  for  my  sins  by  suffering,  God  cannot 
make  too  hot  a  hell  for  me.'  She  continued  in  this 
state  mourning  over  her  sins,  for  a  whole  year,  with 
only  a  trembling  hope  in  Christ.  The  winter  of  1849 
was  one  of  peculiar  blessings  here,  and  to  l;^er  it  re- 
vealed a  Saviour  in  all  his  sufficiency,  and  in  all  his 
loveliness.  Speaking  of  the  change  in  her  feelings 
at  that  time,  she  remarked  :  'Last  winter  Christ  was 
in  heaven,  but  now  he  sits  all  the  time  by  my  side.' 
From  that  time  till  called  to  her  rest,  she  was  a  grow- 
ing Christian.  If,  when  we  entered  her  house,  she 
was  occupied  for  a  little  while  with  household  duties, 
she  would  come  afterwards  and  say,  'I  have  been 
Martha,  but  I  will  be  Mary  the  rest  of  the  time  you 
are  here.*" 

The   raging    pestilence,    after    having    numbered 
among  its  victims  several  of  the  warm  friends  of  the 


RETURN  TO   AMERICA   CONSIDERED.  269 

mission,  was  permitted  to  come  still  nearer,  and  to 
E-natch  away  one  from  the  mission  circle.  Judith 
Grant  Perkins,  the  eldest  of  the  missionary  children, 
whose  memory  parental  affection  has  embalmed  in 
that  interesting  volume,  "  The  Persian  Flower,"  was 
suddenly  transplanted  to  bloom  in  the  Paradise  above. 
Besides  the  afflicted  parents,  none  felt  the  death  of 
this  lovely  child  more  keenly  than  did  JVliss  Fiske. 
All  the  children  in  the  mission  had  a  large  place  in 
her  heart,  and  she  was  a  great  favorite  with  them. 
To  visit  "Aunt  Fidelia,"  or  to  receive  a  visit  from 
her,  was  one  of  their  richest  treats.  Judith  loved  her 
with  almost  filial  love,  and  was  ambitious  to  be  like 
her.  When  quite  young,  observing  one  day  a  small 
mole  on  ]VIiss  Fiske's  fiice,  she  desired  a  "spot,"  as 
she  called  it,  to  be  made  on  her  own  fice,  and  tried 
various  expedients  to  produce  one  herself.  Miss 
Fiske  mourned  for  her  as  for  an  own  child ;  and  for 
many  days  was  with  the  bereaved  parents,  occupied 
with  those  offices  of  sympathy,  which  she  so  well 
knew  how  to  render.  ■, 

After  returning  from  Guvulau,  Miss  Fiske  super- 
intended certain  necessary  repairs  in  the  walls  of  her 
school  building,  which  dehiyed  the  reassembling  of 
her  pupils  till  past  the  middle  of  October. 

Owing  to  the  illness  of  her  only  surviving  sister, 
and  the  improbability  of  her  recovery,  Miss  Fiske 
was  led,  at  times,  during  this  year,  seriously  to  con- 
sider whether  it  might  not  be  her  duty  to  leave  her 
missionary  work  and  return  to  America  to  be  with 
her  aged  mother.  ''  My  attachment  to  my  home 
here,"  she  writes  her  sister,  "  and  to  my  labors,  is  such 
that  I  am  sure  that  I  am  in  no  danger  of  wanting  to 


270  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

go  home  unless  duty  calls.  I  know  that  my  danger 
is  on  the  other  side.  I  have  thought  and  prayed 
much  over  the  subject  the  last  year,  and,  while  I  have 
come  to  no  definite  conclusion,  I  think  I  am  ready  to 
go  wherever  my  Father  calls,  and  I  cannot  but  feel 
sometimes,  that  I  ought,  at  least  for  a  season,  to  leave 
my  Persian  home.  Would  it  be  any  comfort  to  you 
to  have  me  with  you  for  a  year  or  two,  were  I  after- 
wards to  return?  I  only  want  to  know  what  my  duty 
is." 

To  her  mother  she  wrote  November  19th :  "  I 
long  to  see  you  more  than  I  can  express.  When  I 
think  of  my  native  land,  there  is  nothing  in  all  its 
length  and  breadth  on  which  my  eyes  would  so  gladly 
rest,  as  my  mother.  I  do  long  once  more  to  sit  by 
your  side,  and  beg  your  forgiveness  for  the  many 
times  I  have  injured  your  feelings,  aud  made  you  sigh 
as  you  looked  on  your  wayward  child.  I  want  to 
thank  you  also  for  all  your  tender  care  of  me  before 
I  knew  the  mother  that  loved  me ;  and  for  all  the 
wholesome  discipline  bestowed  upon  me  in  njy  early 
years.  If  I  have  ever  been  useful  to  any  one,  I  feel 
that  I  owe  it,  under  God,  to  my  mother,  and  my 
sainted  father.  My  feelings  have  been  very  strong 
and  almost  overcoming  of  late,  when  I  have  thought 
of  you.  I  cannot  tell  Avhy,  but  I  have  seemed  to  feel 
afresh  that  I  had  left  you.  'Behold  thy  mother,'  has 
often  come  to  me  in  gentle  whispers,  and  I  have  been 
carried  to  you  in  the  hours  when  '  sleep  stealeth  over 
man.'" 

"We  have  now,"  she  writes  early  in  December, 
"about  fifty  scholars,  and  have  our  arrangement  so 
that  they  do  all  of  their  work.     This  is  no  small 


DOMESTIC   DEPARTMENT   OF   THE   SCHOOL.        271 

care,  but  we  get  along  very  well,  and  feel  that  it  is 
doing  the  girls  much  good.  They  never  studied  bet- 
ter, and  the  quiet  and  prayerfulness  of  the  older  girls 
is  delightful.  .  .  .  It  is  pleasant  to  see  them  shak- 
ing off  oriental  indolence,  and  trying  to  move  quickly 
and  to  do  work  well.  I  am  often  tried  by  their  in- 
efficiency, but  pity  towards  them  is  the  prevailing 
feeling  of  my  heart." 

^^  December  17.  —  It  is  now  early  morning.  I 
have  been  up  more  than  an  hour,  and  have  time  to 
write  a  line  before  breakfast.  It  is  Saturday,  our 
washing  day.  Were  you  here  you  would  soon  see 
the  girls  washing  dishes,  cleaning  knives,  rubbing 
candlesticks,  sweeping,  bringing  wood,  washing 
towels,  making  fires  in  the  wash-room,  etc.  We  ex- 
pect all  this  will  be  done  at  quarter  before  eight ; 
when,  were  you  to  come  in,  you  would  see  our  large 
family  assembled  in  the  school-room  in  their  wash- 
room dresses,  with  their  clothes-bag  and  soap  in 
hand,  ready  for  action.  First  you  would  hear  me  go 
over  the  list  of  articles  which  they  ought  to.,wash,  to 
ascertain  if  some  careless  one  has  not  forgotten  some- 
thing. Then  you  would  see  twenty  of  the  girls 
wending  their  way  to  the  wash-room.  I  think  you 
would  recogrnize  Fidelia  there  in  a  tall  fig-ure  crowned 
with  an  old  black  hood  ;  you  would  hear  her  call  the 
roll,  and  then  see  two  good  managers  distribute  the 
water  to  their  companions.  The  water  flies,  and  the 
clothes  come  out  clean.  Then  another  set  comes. 
We  expect  that  all  will  be  done  before  noon.  Then 
all  are  assembled  to  comb  and  braid  their  hair.  You 
will  think  this  queer ;  but  I  have  still  to  look  after 
them,  to  keep  them  free  from  what  '  moves  and  has  a 


272  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

being '  on  them  ;  and  it  is  easier  to  do  it  when  all  are 
together.  The  girls  try  to  keep  themselves  clean ; 
but  it  is  very  difficult  for  them  to  do  it,  coming  in 
contact,  as  they  often  do,  with  their  friends.  It  is 
impossible  to  have  to  do  with  this  people  and  not 
share  their  vermin.  But  to  return  to  the  girls :  their 
heads  all  combed,  and  the  wash-room  cleaned,  they 
again  meet  with  their  sewing  and  knitting,  and  we 
assist  them  in  preparing  their  work  for  the  afternoon, 
remaining  in  the  school-room  till  half-past  twelve, 
when  all  go  to  their  rooms.  The  dinner  is  soon  pre- 
pared, eaten,  and  the  dishes  washed,  and  then  all 
sew  in  their  rooms.  At  half-past  three  all  assemble 
asain  in  the  school-room,  where  we 'take  their  ac- 
counts ; '  give  them  their  Sabbath  lessons ;  see  if  all 
the  arrangements  for  the  Sabbath  are  complete ; 
and  then,  after  singing  a  few  hymns,  we  feel  that  the 
work  of  the  six  days  is  done.  The  Nestorian  Sab- 
bath begins  with  the  setting  sun." 

During  the  opening  weeks  of  1853  there  was  much 
sickness  among  the  girls  of  the  seminary.  "  My  lit- 
tle room,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "has  been  a  hospital, 
and  my  time  almost  all  consumed  with  nursing.  You 
know  how  anxious  I  always  am  if  any  one  is  sick. 
1  often  feel  that  in  this  I  do  not  cast  my  cares  on  Him 
who  careth  for  me. 

In  February  and  March,  the  seminary  was  again 
nsited  by  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
*'  For  more  than  a  month  individuals  have  been  affected 
to  tears  in  almost  every  meeting,  and  at  almost  every 
'reason  of  family  devotions.  At  sunset  we  see  many 
going  regularly  to  their  little  praj'er  meetings,  which 
have  been  opened  by  themselves,  without  any  w^rd 


OPHTHALMIA.  273 

from  us ;  and  our  house  is  at  that  time  a  '  house  of 
prayer ; '  still  the  blessing  seems,  in  a  great  measure, 
withheld.  Why  is  it  so  ?  This  is  a  question  I  can- 
not answer.  '  Lord,  is  it  I? '  comes  home  with  pecu- 
liar force  jnst  now." 

Subsequently  Miss  Fiske  wrote  :  —  "In  our  school, 
the  season  was  one  of  delightful  interest,  though 
there  were  but  few  conversions.  We  see  in  our 
pupils  from  year  to  year  stronger  proofs  of  attach- 
ment to  the  S-iviour,  and  greater  capability  of  work- 
ing in  his  vineyard  without  direction  from  us." 

While  the  religious  interest  was  in  progress.  Miss 
Fiske  suffered  severely  from  an  attack  of  ophthalmia, 
and  by  using  her  eyes  at  night  while  they  were  still 
weak,  the  optic  nerve  was  so  affected  that  for  month? 
she  suffered  much,  and  was  scarcely  able  to  use  her 
pen  at  all.  For  this  reason  the  school  was  dismissed 
for  the  summer  earlier  than  usual.  Mr.  Stocking  and 
family,  with  whom  she  had  found  a  pleasant  home  for 
ten  years,  having  left  for  America,  she  spent  her 
summer  lacation  mostly  at  Seir,  in  the  famfly  of  Mr. 
Stoddard,  hoping  by  entire  rest  to  regain  the  use  of 
her  eyes.  "  How  great  this  trial  is,"  she  writes,  "  I 
cannot  tell  you,  and  a  kind  Father  grant  that  you 
may  never  know  by  sad  experience.  The  apple  of 
the  eye,  — how  dear  it  is  to  us  !  but  not  so  dear  as 
is  the  Christian  to  his  Saviour.  He  will  '  keep  us  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye,'  but  in  love  he  may  deny  us 
the  blessing  of  sight.  I  hope,  by  being  very  careful, 
soon  to  be  able  to  use  my  eyes  pretty  freely ;  though 
I  can  hardly  expect  again  to  use  the  midnight  lamp 
after  a  day  of  cares  in  and  out  of  school.  But  I 
18 


1.4  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

have  the  very  sweet  comfort,  that  I  shall  see  in  just 
the  way  that  will  best  advance  the  Redeemer's  king- 
dom. And  shall  I  ask  for  anything  more  ?  Is  it  not 
enough  that  God  uses  us  as  he  wills  ?  " 


REPORT  OF  THE  STATE  OF  THE  SEMINARY.        275 


CHAPTER  XVm. 

JUNE,    1853,    TO   JUNE,    1834. 

Report  of  the  State  of  the  Seminary.  — Religious  Interest. — Examination 
of  School  at  Geog  Tapa.  —  Sabbath  School.  —  Counsel  to  a  Young  Con- 
vert. 

During  the  long  summer  vacation  of  1853,  Miss 
Fiske,  though  obliged  by  the  state  of  her  eyes  to  be 
comparatively  idle,  was  able,  in  connection  with  Miss 
Rice,  to  prepare,  at  the  request  of  the  mission,  a  full 
report  of  the  condition  of  the  seminary,  which  was 
forwarded  to  the  Missionary  House  in  Boston.  From 
this  report  the  following  extract  is  taken  :  — 

"The  school  is  in  every  sense  a  family.  They  meet 
together  daily  for  morning  and  evening  devotions ; 
they  come  to  the  dining-rooms  for  their  meals  ;  they 
are  subject  to  the  same  rules,  enjoy  the  same  privi- 
leges ;  and  all  are  required  to  give  some  aid  in  the 
domestic  work  of  the  great  household.  Every  one 
understands  her  specific  work,  and  she  is  expected  to 
do  it  promptly  and  faithfully.  If  there  is  a  failure,  it 
is  searched  into,  and,  if  the  cause  prove  to  be  ill  health, 
her  teachers  care  for  her  with  a  parental  interest  and 
anxiety.  Her  companions  are  ready  to  take  her 
place,  and  they  gladly  give  every  needed  attention  to 
the  sick  one.  If  their  teachers  are  ill,  it  is  gratifying 
to  see  with  what  eagerness  their  affectionate  hearts 


276  FAITH   AVORKING    BY    LOVE. 

plead  for  the  privilege  of  ministering  to  them  ;  by 
night  as  Tvell  as  by  day  they  show  not  only  their  will- 
ingness,'but  their  ability  to  render  very  essential  aid 
in  the  sick-room.  They  are  constantly  with  us  dur- 
ing term-time,  and  seldom  ask  to  visit  their  homes, 
except  in  cases  of  sickness  or  death  of  friends.  They 
are  generally  very  prompt  in  returning  to  us  after 
vacations. 

"  Once  might  have  been  seen  here  a  company  of 
untutored  little  girls,  fresh  from  their  village  homes, 
with  uncombed  hair,  in  filthy,  tattered  garments, 
rudely  jostling  each  other  as  they  passed  ;  conversing 
aloud,  or  in  a  whisper,  as  they  pleased,  and  studying 
their  lessons  in  loud  concert  in  school  hours ;  when 
dismissed,  clambering  over  the  seats,  or  making  the 
school-room  ring  with  their  shouts  of  noisy  mirth, 
and  sure  to  engage  in  some  mischief,  unless  in  their 
teacher's  room,  or  under  her  watchful  eye  ;  dishonest, 
untruthful,  ungrateful  scholars  ;  objects  that  awakened 
compassion,  and  required  patient,  unceasing  care; 

"To  the  praise  of  God's  grace,  with  gratefuj  hearts 
we  record  the  visible  chans^e, — a  chanire  all  the  more 
beautiful,  regarded  as  the  result  of  moral  power. 
When  the  bell  calls  to  school,  our  pupils,  with  books 
in  hand,  hasten  through  the  spaceways  without  a  word 
of  conversation,  and  in  two  minutes  are  all  seated  at 
their  desks.  A  deep  silence  pervades  the  room,  while 
prayer  for  divine  guidance  is  offered  by  one  of  the 
teachers.  After  this,  the  classes  move  quietly  to  their 
places  for  recitation;  and,  during  the  whole  day,  no 
loud  studying  is  heard,  no  whispering  is  seen,  and 
there  is  a  near  approach  to  non-communication  even 
by  signs.    When  we  are  addressing  the  whole  school, 


REPORT  OF  THE  STATE  OF  THE  SEMINARY.   277 

they  give  their  respectful,  earnest  attention.  At  re- 
cess, some  of  the  girls  may  be  seen  walking  in  the 
yard;  others  have  taken  their  knitting  from  their 
pockets ;  some  are  reviewing  their  lessons,  to  be  sure 
of  not  failing  in  the  next  recitation ;  a  group  of 
younger  ones  are  learning  the  outline  maps  from  an 
older  scholar;  another  is  aiding  her  companion  in  as- 
cending some  acclivity  in  the  rudiments  of  science, 
which  she  has  just  climbed ;  while  a  few  have  gone  to 
their  rooms  to  seek  communion  with  the  Holy  One. 
When  the  school  is  dismissed  at  night,  each  girl  takes 
her  books,  passes  noiselessly  out,  and  arranges  them 
in  her  room,  where  she  will  want  them  for  the  study 
hours. 

"  We  are  rejoiced  to  see  among  those  pupils  who 
have  been  longest  with  us  a  strong  regard  for  order, 
honesty,  and  truth,  which  has  enabled  them  to  exert 
a  controlling  influence  in  school,  and  which  they  carry 
with  them  when  they  leave  us.  They  often  write  us 
letters  full  of  expressions  of  warm  attachment,  and 
deep  gratitude  for  our  instructions  and  reproofs. 

"  Some  years  ago  a  course  of  study  was  fixed  upon 
in  our  school,  which,  it  is  hoped,  most  of  those 
who  come  to  us  will  complete.  More  than  half  the 
course  prescribed  is  biblical.  If  this  seem  a  large  pro- 
portion, we  have  only  to  say  that,  in  training  our  pu- 
pils, we  should  seek  not  only  their  greatest  good,  but 
the  greatest  good  of  the  Nestorian  community.  There 
is,  at  present,  a  most  interesting  spirit  of  inquiry  among 
the  females  in  regard  to  the  sacred  writings.  Many 
of  them  bake  their  bread,  spin  their  cotton,  weed 
their  fields,  etc.,  asking  what  these  things  mean.  We 
can  personally  reach  but  few  of  these  dark  minds  con- 


278  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

stantly ;  we  must  do  it  through  our  girls,  and  we  are 
sure  that  all  who  look  carefully  at  the  subject  will 
feel  as  we  do,  that  those  who  go  out  from  us  must  be 
women  of  'one  book.' 

"  Our  reasons  for  entering  on  our  present  domestic 
arrangements  are  these :  First.  To  dispense  with 
native  women  in  the  house,  whose  influence  is  far 
from  being  good ;  to  teach  the  girls  to  depend  on 
themselves,  and  to  leave  no  room  for  fault-findinw 
with  others.  Secondly.  To  give  the  girls  more  exercise 
than  they  can  get  in  their  walks  in  the  yard,  to  which 
they  are  confined  for  recreation.  Our  school  being 
in  the  midst  of  a  Mohammedan  population,  our  pupils 
cannot  go  beyond  our  premises  unaccompanied. 
Thirdly.  That  the  pupils  may  keep  up,  to  some  extent, 
their  early  habits  of  labor.  They  have  worked  in 
their  homes,  and  they  must  work  when  they  return  to 
them.  We  have  feared  that  they  might  suff'er  from 
being  so  many  months  of  the  year  exclusively  engaged 
in  study.  Fourthly.  -To  give  more  stability  to  their 
character,  and  especially  to  their  Christian  character, 
and  so  better  fit  them  to  labor  for  inquiring  souls  in 
their  villages.  Those  girls  who  have  made  the  great- 
est efibrt  to  help  themselves  here,  have  best  met  trials 
on  going  out  from  us.  Those  seasons  of  religious 
interest,  in  which  some  time  each  day  has  been  given 
to  secular  employment,  have  produced  the  most  last- 
ing and  happy  results.  If  people  are  converted  in 
the  villages,  they  will  be  converted  in  the  midst  of 
hard  work,  and  it  seemed  desirable  for  our  pupils  to 
realize  that  the  sinner  can  give  his  heart  to  God  in 
such  circumstances." 

**  The  hours  of  the  day  are  so  closely  occupied  with 


REPORT   OP   THE    STATE    OF   THE    SEMINARY.     279 

juties  connected  with  the  school  and  family,  that  our 
pupils  could  find  little  time  for  extra  labor  with  their 
needles,  were  the  demand  and  pecuniary  inducements 
for  such  a  kind  of  industry  far  greater  than  they  now 
are.  They  are  generally  inclined  to  be  diligent,  and 
to  fill  up  all  their  leisure  moments  with  some  useful 
employment.  They  cut  and  make  all  their  own 
clothing,  and  do  considerable  sewing  and  knitting  for 
others.  They  earned  about  six  dollars  in  this  way 
last  year,  which  they  will  devote  to  some  benevolent 
object.  It  will  be  seen  that  they  can  have  but  few 
idle  moments,  when  it  is  known  that  they  knit  more 
than  a  hundred  pairs  of  stockings  and  gloves,  in  their 
recreation  hours,  duringthe  winter  term.  Our  pupils 
now  furnish  their  own  clothing  in  part.  This,  with  the 
greater  economy  of  the  girls  in  domestic  management 
and  saving  the  hire  of  help,  enables  us  to  reduce  the 
expenses  of  each  pupil  to  about  eighteen  dollars  a 
year.  This  sum  includes  rent,  repairs,  board,  cloth- 
ing in  part,  fuel,  lights,  etc. 

"For  several  years  after  the  establishment  of  our 
school,  we  often  lost  promising  pupils  by  their  early 
marriages,  either  through  the  influence  of  friends  or 
from  their  own  choice  ;  but  now  we  see  little  dispo- 
sition to  make  any  engagement  till  the  course  of  study 
is  finished.  Our  older  pupils  place  a  very  high  value 
upon  piety  and  a  good  education  in  their  future  com- 
panions. The  refusal  of  one  of  them  to  allow  the 
time  of  her  marriage  to  be  fixed  by  any  one  but  the 
superintendents  of  the  male  seminary,  saying  of  her 
intended,  '  When  Mr.  S.  says  that  he  has  studied 
enough,  I  am  ready,'  expresses  the  feelings  of  many 
others.     Those  who  have  contended  against  the  evils 


280  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

of  early  marriages  in  years  gone  by,  when  an  unmar- 
ried girl  of  fourteen  years  was  scarcely  to  be  found, 
could  but  shed  the  tear  of  gratitude  over  our  last 
graduating  class,  ten  in  number,  and  all  between 
seventeen  and  nineteen  years  of  age. 

"In  reviewing  the  past,  and  in  looking  for  the  re- 
sults of  labor  expended  on  our  school,  we  find  much 
to  humble  us,  and  much  over  which  to  mourn.  Still, 
when  we  look  on  those  females  to  whom  saving  mercy 
has,  as  we  trust,  been  extended ;  when  we  meet,  as 
we  go  out,  those  wives  and  mothers  who  have  been 
made  better  by  instructions  gained  while  with  us ; 
when  we  see  our  pupils  teaching  scores  of  little  girls 
in  the  villages,  not  only  to  read,  but  to  love  the  Sav- 
iour ;  when  we  meet  a  large  number  of  adult  females 
whom  they  have  taught  to  read  the  word  of  life,  and 
whom  the}^  now  often  gather  into  Bible  classes  and 
prayer-meetings ;  —  when  we  see  and  hear  these 
things,  we  cannot  feel  that  our  labor  has  been  alto- 
gether in  vain,  nor  can  we  refrain  from  sending  up 
notes  of  thankso^ivino^  to  Him  vvho  has  given  his  rich 
blessing  to  what  we  in  weakness  have  sown." 

Owing  to  the  prevalence  of  cholera,  the  school  did 
not  open  in  the  autumn  of  1853,  till  the  first  of  No- 
vember. Miss  Fiske's  eyes  still  troubled  her,  and 
^he  could  use  them  only  to  a  limited  extent  in  teach- 
ing. Other  duties,  however,  pressed  upon  her. 
January  17th,  1854,  she  writes:  "Since  the  school 
assembled,  my  heart  and  hands  have  been  full  of  labor 
and  care.  Our  large  family  of  fifty  is  a  delightful 
charge,  and  I  become  more  and  more  attached  to 
them  every  year.     For  the  last  few  weeks  there  has 


EXAMINATION    OF   SCHOOL   AT   GEOG   TAPA.       281 

been  some  religious  interest  among  our  pupils.     We 
hope  and  pray  for  a  rich  blessing." 

^^  March  17. — The  past  six  weeks  have  been  a 
season  of  much  religious  interest  in  our  school.  Sev- 
eral girls  hope  that  they  have  passed  from  death  unto 
life  ;  and  others,  previously  pious,  have  been  much 
quickened.  They  have  been  so  anxious  to  become 
the  Lord's  that  it  has  been  a  delightful  privilege  to 
lead  them  to  the '  fountain  of  livino^  waters.'  The  girls 
who  went  out  from  us  a  year  ago  have  been  faithful 
helpers  in  their  villages.  Six  of  them  have  taught 
girls'  schools,  which  have  been  centres  of  strong  re- 
ligious influence.  Two  of  them,  Nargis  and  Khanee, 
teach  in  Geog  Tapa,  where  they  have  had  a  school  of 
fifty  girls." 

Of  an  examination  of  this  school  on  the  first  day  of 
June  following,  she  thus  writes  :  "  It  was  held  in  the 
church.  Some  six  hundred  were  present  to  listen  to 
the  girls,  who  were  arranged  in  the  middle  of  the 
church.  The  exercises  continued  for  three  hours, 
and  I  never  saw  a  company  of  Nestorians  listen  with 
more  interest.  The  singing,  particularly,  charmed 
them,  and  'Our  daughters  can  learn  as  well  as  our 
sons,'  was  heard  from  many  a  parent  that  day.  One 
of  the  teachers  was  the  first  little  girl  I  took  under 
my  caro  after  coming  to  Oroomiah.  As  I  saw  her 
manage  her  little  flock,  I  thanked  the  Lord  that  he 
had  spared  me  to  see  '  children's  children.'  In  the 
afternoon  there  was  an  examination  of  the  Sabbath 
school,  or  the  adult  part  of  it,  in  the  grove  back  of 
the  churcl  There  were  probably  a  thousand  per- 
sons present,  and  the  clear  Persian  sky  over  our 
heads  was  only  an  index  of  what  was  passing  below. 


282  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

It  would  have  done  you  good  to  see  those  old  men 
and  women  reciting  the  word  of  God,  with  the  ease 
of  little  children.  You  would  also  have  thanked  the 
Lord,  when  a  large  company,  of  both  sexes,  came 
forward,  who  had  learned  to  read." 

Miss  Fiske  received,  about  this  time,  intelligence 
of  the  conversion  of  a  niece,  which  called  forth  the 
following  response :  — 

"Mr  DEAR  C.  : — You  have  written  me  many 
letters  which  have  been  a  great  comfort  to  me ;  but 
over  none  have  I  rejoiced  so  much  as  over  the  one 
just  received.  You  have,  as  I  trust,  sincerely  given 
yourself  to  the  Saviour,  and  begun  the  Christian  life. 
Bless  the  Lord  for  enabling  you  to  do  this ;  but  renew 
the  consecration  every  day.  It  is  only  in  this  way 
that  you  can  retain  the  blessedness  you  are  now  tast- 
ing. Give  yourself  daily  to  the  Saviour,  as  you  did 
when  light  and  peace  first  dawned  upon  your  soul. 
When  I  look  back  upon  my  own  life  as  a  Christian,  I 
feel  that  I  have  lost  many  years  from  not  having  re- 
alized that  I  must  give  my  heart  daily  to  the  Lord. 
I  trust  that  you  have  begun  the  Christian  life  with 
much  prayer,  and  that  to  your  dying  day  you  will 
love  to  hold  frequent  communion  with  your  Saviour. 
If  you  do,  you  will  not  go  into  his  presence  as  a 
stranger  ;  but  will  feel  that  he  is  yours,  and  that  you 
are  his,  and  you  will  go  to  meet  him  with  joy." 


MAKENO   MAPS. 


283 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

JUNE,    1854,    TO   JULY,    1855. 

Making  Maps.  -  Visits  to  Ada  and  Supurghan.  —  Death  of  Mr.  Stocking.  -  - 
Political  Disturbances.  —  Askar  Kahn.  —  Account  of  School,  for  Mr. 
Stevens.  —Letter  to  Holyoke  Seminary. 

During  the  summer  vacation  of  1854,  a  large  class 
of  the  older  pupils  were  retained  under  the  care  of 
the  teachers,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  special  in- 
struction designed  to  qualify  them  to  teach  and  to 
labor  among  the  women. 

"We  rather  feared,"  writes  Miss  Fiske,  "the  effect 
upon  ourselves  of  such  a  care  in  the  summer  ;  but  we 
have  been  kindly  kept  by  our  Father,  and  have  much 
reason  to  thank  him  for  the  improvement  of  our  pu- 
pils. Besides  giving  considerable  attention  to  study, 
during  the  two  months  they  were  with  us,  they  made 
one  h°undred  and  eighty  maps.  Were  you  to  see 
these,  I  think  you  would  pronounce  them  beautiful. 
A  part  of  them  are  designed  to  accompany  our 
Geography  in  Syriac,  and  a  part  are  for  Sabbath 
schools,  —  such  as  maps  of  Canaan,  in  Old  Testament 
times  ;  of  Palestine,  in  the  Saviour's  time ;  of  the 
journey  of  the  children  of  Israel,  etc.  Those  for 
Sabbath  schools  have  been  widely  circulated,  and  are 
doing  great  good." 

About  the  middle  of  August,  Miss  Fiske  visited 


284  FAITH    WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

Ada  and  Supurghan.  At  the  latter  place  she  spent 
the  Sabbath  with  one  of  the  graduates  of  the  semi- 
nary, now  married  and  laboring  there  with  her  hus- 
band. 

"I  met  Moressa's  Bible  class,"  she  writes,  "in  the 
yard  of  the  church.  There  were  more  than'  usual 
present ;  but  she  says  she  has  had  as  many  as  twenty- 
five  every  Sabbath,  all  summer,  and  often  as  many  as 
forty.  She  wished  me  to  question  them  on  those 
parts  of  the  Bible  they  had  been  over.  I  did  so  ;  and 
to  say  that  I  was  gratified,  expresses  but  little  of 
what  I  felt,  when  listening  to  those  women,  who, 
when  I  was  last  in  the  village,  were  so  rude  that  it 
seemed  hardly  possible  to  speak  a  word  of  instruction 
to  them.  They  hud  been  over  the  first  six  books  of 
the  Old  Testament ;  and  those  who  had  been  pretty 
constant  in  their  attendance  appeared  quite  as  well  as 
did  either  of  the  classes  of  old  people  at  our  late  ex- 
amination in  Geog  Tapa. 

"  While  absent,  I  thought  much  of  the  talk  which 
I  had  with  you,  about  doing  less  for  our  seminaries 
and  more  abroad.  We  must  try  to  do  more  in  the 
villages,  but  I  do  not  believe  we  can  afford  to  do  less 
at  home.  It  is  through  our  pupils  that  what  we  do 
for  the  people  generally,  will  be  done.  In  Ada  and 
Supurghan  I  was  asked  many  times  to  send  home 
quickly  the  girls  that  I  have.  They  said  they  wanted 
them  to  teach  ;  and  I  believed  them.  I  always  come 
home  from  the  villas^es  feelino:  that  I  will  labor  more 
and  pray  more  for  my  dear  pupils.  What  blessings 
all  our  scholars  would  be  to  their  people,  if  holy,  ac- 
tive Christians  ! " 
In  July,  intelligence  was  received  of  the  death  of 


DEATH   OF   MR.    STOCKING.  285 

Mr.  Stocking.  This  excellent  missionary,  after  i3ix- 
teen  years  of  faithful  and  exhausting  labors  among 
the  Nestorians,  returned  with  his  family  to  America 
in  1853.  His  death  carried  sorrow  to  the  hearts  of 
all  his  missionary  associates,  by  whom  he  was  greatly 
beloved.  MissFiske,  having  been  so  long  a  member 
of  his  family,  was  most  deeply  afflicted  by  the  unex- 
pected news  of  his  departure,  and  thus  wrote  to  Mrs. 
Stocking :  —  ^ 

"  My  dear,  dear  Sister  :  —  I  have  scarcely  ever, 
in  my  whole  life,  felt  so  much  bereaved  ;  certainly 
never  by  a  death  out  of  my  own  father's  family.  I 
loved  Mr.  Stocking  as  an  own  brother,  and  I  feel  for 
you  as  I  should  for  my  only  sister  if  she  were  in 
your  circumstances.  .  .  .  Oh,  it  would  be  such  a  re- 
lief to  this  aching  heart  to  be  with  you  for  one  short 
hour,  and  learn  the  particulars  of  my  dear  brother's 
last  days,  and  once  more  press  those  orphan  children 
to  my  bosom !  They  were  not  orphans  when  I  so 
often  embraced  them.  Dear  ones!  my  heart  is  full 
when  I  think  of  them  !  And  what  shall  I  say  of  my 
feelings  when  I  think  of  you,  dear  sister?  Would 
that  I  could  fly  to  you  !  I  know  that  the  grace  of 
God  is  sufiicient  for  every  trial,  however  severe,  and 
to  that  grace  I  try  to  commend  you.  I  trust  that  you 
are  able  submissively  to  bow  to  your  Father's  will ; 
but  I  know  that  the  world  must  look  very  desolate  to 
you.  AVhen  I  think  of  never  again  seeing  you  in 
Persia,  my  heart  well-nigh  breaks.  Your  house  and 
Bverything  in  it  wear  a  strange  sadness  to  me. 
How  much  comfort  have  I  taken  in  thinking  of  your 
return,  in  keeping  everything  for  you,  and  iu  plan- 


286  FAITH   WORKtNG   BY   LO^fc. 

ning  to  arrange  each  nook  and  corner  so  pleasantly 
for  you  !  How  many  times,  in  imagination,  have  I 
seen  you  all  coming  back  to  us,  on  some  bright  June 
clay,  and  have  thought  how  I  would  stay  at  home 
while  others  would  go  out  to  meet  you,  and  how  I 
would  try  to  have  your  home  seem  unchanged  to 
you  !  But  all  is  now  changed.  Your  home  here 
would  now  be  a  sad  one  to  you  ;  it  is  to  me.  I  think 
of  you  so  constantly  that  everything  wears  the  garb 
of  mourning,  and  often,  before  I  am  aware  of  it,  my 
tears  are  falling  thick  and  fast." 

In  the  spring  of  1855,  there  were  some  tokens  of  the 
Spirit's  gracious  presence,  but  the  season  passed  with- 
out any  such  manifestations  of  his  awakening  and  con- 
verting power,  as  had  been  earnestly  desired,  and  as 
former  years  had  witnessed.  It  was  with  the  mission 
a  time  of  great  anxiety,  on  account  of  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  country,  caused  I)y  the  Crimean  war,  and 
on  account  of  new  indications  of  hostility  to  the  labors 
of  tlie  missionaries,  on  the  part  of  the  Persian  govern- 
ment. Miss  Fiske's  letters  at  this  period  make  fre- 
quent allusion  to  the  troubles  which  encompassed  and 
threatened  the  mission. 

''^ March  17. — The  past  winter  has  been  one  of 
more  than  usual  commotion  in  our  field.  Orders 
from  the  king,  designed  to  cripple  us  in  our  labors, 
and  perhaps  to  stop  them  altogether,  have  been  is- 
sued ;  and,  though  they  have  not  yet  been  carried  into 
effect,  they  have  caused  no  small  stir  among  the  peo- 
ple. We  feel  that  we  are  in  danger  of  having  our 
work  interrupted.  The  war  question  is  likely  soon 
to  be  a  practical  one  in  Persia.    We  can  hardly  expect 


A8KAR  KHAN.  287 

this  summer  to  pass  without  seeing  tbfj  country  in- 
volved in  the  conflict.  But  we  can  do  nothing  in 
regard  to  it,  except  pray  'Thy  kingdom  come,'  and 
labor  for  souls  as  long  as  we  can.  We  have  nothing 
to  fear  if  we  are  only  found  faithful." 

'^  April  19.  —  A  Persian  nobleman,  Askar  Khan, 
sent  by  the  king  to  see  the  firman  enforced,  has  been 
in  Oroomiah  for  nearly  a  month.  He  has  directed  our 
press  to  stop,  and  made  sundry  requirements  in  regard 
to  the  education  of  females  which  show  that  he  is  read}*^ 
to  do  anything  in  his  power  to  stop  our  labors.  Our 
press,  however,  still  works,  and  no  order  of  his  has 
been  heeded.  You  know  that  we  enjoy  the  protection 
of  the  British  ambassador  at  the  Court  of  Teheran  ;  and 
we  have  been  directed  by  the  English  Consul  at  Ta- 
breez  to  go  forward  till  otherwise  instructed  by  the 
British  ambassador.  The  influence  of  this  embassy 
in  Persia  is  less  than  in  former  years,  and  they  may 
not  be  able  to  do  for  us  what  their  liberal  hearts 
would  prompt  them  to  do.  We  feel  that  our  present 
situation  is  a  critical  one.  The  clouds  that  hang  over 
ns  are  very  dark.  Oh  that  they  might  be  charged 
with  blessings  !  The  coming  months  may  drive  us 
from  Persia,  or  they  may  make  our  position  here 
more  favorable  than  ever  before.  We  believe  we  are 
ready  to  follow  the  leadings  of  Providence,  whatever 
they  may  be.  We  have  strong  hope  that  our  enemies 
will  themselves  fall  into  the  pit  they  have  digged  for 
others.  We  can  join  in  some  of  David's  prayers  for 
his  enemies,  and  in  so  doing  heed,  I  trust,  the  admo- 
oition,  'Be  ye  angry  and  sin  not.'" 

"23.  —  Askar  Khan  visited  our  school  just  before 
ihe    term   closed,  and   expressed    in   the    strongest 


288  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

manner  his  disapproval  of  everything  done  for  fe- 
males. 'Their  work,'  he  said,  *is  to  cook  for  their 
husbands,  and  to  labor  in  the  fields.  They  need  no 
other  knowledo:e.'  Such  are  the  feelinsrs  of  those  who 
now  set  themselves  against  us ;  but  we  trust  in  the 
Lord,  and  if  we  may  not  labor  for  our  sisters  in  one 
way,  we  will  seek  to  do  it  in  another,  if  allowed  to 
dwell  in  the  country.  We  cannot  believe  that  our 
work  here  is  to  cease,  though  it  may  be  temporarily 
interrupted.  We  remember  the  signal  blessings  of 
the  past,  and  take  courage.  The  work  is  the  Lord's. 
Pie  loves  it  better  than  we  do ;  and  if  he  helps  us  we 
will  not  forsake  him  nor  his  work  in  the  hour  of 
trial." 

"  June  4.  —  We  have  been  permitted  for  the  last 
month  to  go  on  with  our  labors  with  less  disturbance. 
The  panic  excited  among  the  people  by  the  appearance 
and  course  of  the  Khan  has  somewhat  subsided,  and 
we  find  our  meetings  again  full,  while  but  little  outward 
opposition  is  manifested.  The  Khan  says  he  has  made 
his  report  of  our  labors  and  forwarded  it  to  the  capi- 
tal, and  now  awaits  farther  orders." 

While  in  the  midst  of  these  disturbances  and  dan- 
gers, Miss  Fiske  prepared  an  account  of  the  labors 
among  the  Nestorian  females  for  the  use  of  the  Eng- 
lish Consul  at  Teheran,  from  which  a  brief  extract  is 
given  :  — 

"  Oroomiah,  May  1,  1855. 
"r.  W.  STEVENS,  ESQ.,  H.  B.  M.  CONSUL  AT  TEHERAN  : 

"  Dear  Sir  :  —  I  have  been  requested  by  our  mis- 
sion to  write  you,  giving  an  account  of  the  school  for 
Nestorian  girls  in  Oroomiah,  of  which  Miss  Rice  and 
I  have  the  care,  and  of  other  labors  for  females  in 


LETTER   TO   THE   ENGLISH   CONSUL.  289 

connection  with  the  school.  I  do  this,  not  with  the 
expectation  of  inciting  you  to  greater  efforts  to  aid  us 
in  our  labors,  since  it  would  hardly  be  possible  for 
you  to  do  more  than  you  have  done  during  your  resi- 
dence in  Persia.  My  only  object  is  to  put  you  in 
possession  of  such  facts  as  will  enable  you  to  answer 
those  who  charge  us  with  doing  that  which  is  unlaw- 
ful, or,  rather,  that  which  is  not  for  the  best  good  of 
the  Nestorian  community. 

"  The  design  of  the  school  is  to  so  educate  Nesto- 
rian girls  that  they  may  be  better  daughters  and  sis- 
ters, wives  and  mothers,  than  are  those  usually  found 
among  the  people.  Unless  a  change,  and  a  very 
great  change,  can  be  wrought  in  the  females  here,  all 
the  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  other  sex  will  fail  of  pro- 
ducing permanent  good.  We  aim  to  give  the  mem- 
bers of  the  school  such  a  training,  physical,  mental, 
and  moral,  as  shall  best  fit  them  for  a  happy  and  use- 
ful life  among  their  own  people. 

"Aside  from  the  various  duties  of  the  school-room, 
kitchen,  and  w^ash-room,  the  pupils  are  taught  to  cut 
and  make  their  own  clothing.  They  also  give  at- 
tention to  other  plain  needle-work,  and  ply  their 
knitting  whenever  they  find  a  few  leisure  moments. 
Some  ornamental  needle-work  is  tausrht  the  older 
girls.  This  has  not  a  very  prominent  place  in  our 
instructions,  though  we  deem  it  important.  It  tends 
not  a  little  to  soften  the  asperities  of  these  wild  girls. 
The  same  hand,  however,  that  skilfully  uses  the 
worsted  needle,  is  found  in  summer  among  the  golden 
wheat  holding  the  sickle,  and  in  autumn  gathering 
the  vintage."  .  .  . 
19 


290  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

At  this  time  Miss  Fiske's  thoughts  often  turned 
with  tender  interest  to  her  Holyoke  friends.  "There 
is  but  one  spot  in  favored  America  so  dear  to  me  as 
your  home,  and  were  I  to  return,  there  is  but  one 
person  I  would  long  to  embrace  before  seeing  you  : 
that  spot  is  my  early  home,  and  that  person  my  own 
dear  mother.  And  am  I  not  right  in  believing  that 
you  pray  for  me  and  mine?  When  I  see  rich  bless- 
ings descending  on  my  Nestorian  sisters,  I  am  wont 
to  believe  that  Holyoke's  sisters  are  praying  for  us. 
Your  prayers  may  do  more  in  this  interesting  work 
than  our  labors  can.  Those  whom  I  have  called  my 
children  in  the  Lord,  may  in  the  last  great  day  be 
found  to  be  your  children, — the  children  of  fervent, 
prevailing  prayer." 

The  younger  pupils  were  dismissed  early  in  the 
season,  the  elder  ones  being  retained  till  July,  when 
entire  rest  from  school  duties  was  found  necessary 
for  the  teachers.  It  had  been  a  busy  and  trying  year, 
and  Miss  Fiske  had  become  greatly  worn  by  her 
school  labors  and  the  care  of  the  sick.  Yet,  in  reply 
to  expressions  of  solicitude  in  regard  to  her  health, 
she  could  say,  "I  am  generally  very  well.  Some- 
times I  feel  as  though  I  must  soon  give  up,  but  rest 
makes  me  ready  to  begin  my  labors  again.  I  would 
acknowledge  the  special  goodness  of  the  Lord  in  giv- 
ing me  so  much  of  health  for  twelve  years.  Durin» 
this  time  I  have  not  required,  nor  had  any  missionary 
sister  to  watch  by  my  side  for  a  single  night." 


AT  OAYALAN.  291 


CHAPfER  XX. 

JULY,    1855     TO   JUNE,    1856. 

At  Gavalan. — The  Girls  as  Missionaries  in  the  Mountaias. — Native  Con- 
verts at  the  Lord's  Supper.  —  Domestic  Labors.  —  "  If  you  love  me,  lean 
hard."  —  Revival.  —  Sanum'a  Children  Poisoned.  —  Baptism  at  • 
"  Fair." 

During  the  summer  vacatiou  of  1855,  Miss  Fiske 
made  a  short  visit  to  Gavalan,  whence  she  wrote,  Au- 
gust 14th :  — 

"  Our  pupils  are  now  busy  in  their  homes,  and  some 
of  them,  we  hope,  are  doing  a  great  deal  of  good. 
John  recently  made  a  tour  in  the  mountains,  visiting 
our  girls  in  Tergawar,  Marsheboo,  and  Gawar.  We 
have  a  girl  married  in  each  of  these  places,  John 
speaks  of  them  as  *  light-houses  in  the  great,  dark  sea 
of  iniquity  which  covers  the  mountains.'  His  first 
remark  on  returning  was,  'What  blessed  seed  you 
have  sown  in  the  mountains  1  Wherever  a  man  goes 
he  finds  his  own  house,  and  strengtheners  of  the  feet 
of  righteousness.'  It  is  pleasant  to  hear  such  reports 
from  our  dear  children.  Mr.  Rhea,  who  has  been 
in  Gawar  the  last  nine  mouths,  says,  'It  requires  as 
much  self-denial  for  one  reared  in  Oroomiah  to  go  to 
the  mountains,  as  fur  one  to  come  from  America  to 
Oroomiah.'" 


292  FAITH  WOEKING  BY  LOVE. 

"  Oboouiah,  September  17. 

'  I  returned  to  the  city  a  few  days  since,  and  now 
am  busy  in  preparations  for  the  winter.  Our  annual 
meeting  was  held  on  Wednesday  and  Thursday  of  last 
week  in  Seir,  at  which  all  were  present.  On  Friday 
the  mission  met  some  seventy  of  the  natives  in  the 
city,  and  with  them  celebrated  the  Lord's  supper.  It 
was  a  season  of  deep  and  tender  interest.  There  are 
many  more,  who,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  should 
come  to  this  ordinance,  and  we  hope  at  some  future 
time  to  meet  them  at  the  table  of  our  Lord  and 
Master." 

The  first  communion  to  which  native  converts  were 
admitted  was  in  September,  1854.  After  the  service, 
some  of  the  men  were  observed  to  withdraw,  and  sit 
down  together  in  silence.  Fearing  lest  they  might 
have  been  disappointed  at  the  absence  of  those  forms 
to  which  they  had  been  accustomed.  Miss  Fiske  ven- 
tured to  approach  and  speak  to  them  on  the  subject. 
**'Is  it  always  so  when  you  commune,'  asked  one  of 
them, 'or  was  this  an  unusual  occasion?'  *  Why  do 
you  ask;  did  you  not  enjoy  it?'  Not  enjoy  it! 
Jesus  Christ  seemed  to  be  almost  visibly  present ;  it 
was  diflScult  to  realize  that  it  was  not  the  Saviour  in 
person  who  presided  at  the  table.  It  must  have  been 
just  such  a  scene  when  the  ordinance  was  first  insti- 
tuted at  Jerusalem,  and  I  could  not  get  rid  of  the  in- 
quiry, '  Shall  one  of  us  go  out  like  Judas  to  betray 
him?'  The  very  simplicity  of  the  forms  gave  the 
ordinance  great  attraction  for  them.  One  woman 
travelled  sixty  miles  through  snow  to  attend  the  com- 
munion in  January,  1858." 


DOMESTIC   LABORS.  293 

After  the  departure  of  Mr.  Stocking  for  America, 
Miss  Fiske  and  Miss  Rice  kept  house  by  themselves ; 
though  nominally  belonging  to  the  family  of  Mr. 
Breath,  whose  house  was  connected  with  their  own. 
This  arrangement  often  devolved  upon  them  the  pleas- 
ant, though  sometimes  onerous,  duties  of  hospitality. 
In  the  absence  of  other  missionary  families  from  the 
city,  their  guests  were  numerous.  Thus,  Miss  Fiske 
writes,  under  date  of  September  18th  :  "  We  are  the 
only  family  here,  and  consequently  have  much  com- 
pany. I  have  been  here  eighteen  days,  and  in  that 
time  we  have  prepared  one  hundred  and  forty-one 
meals  for  others.  Those  of  the  brethren  connected 
with  the  press  go  to  their  work  in  the  city,  and  stop 
with  us.  Those  who  attend  the  Sabbath  services  do 
the  same  ;  and  others,  for  various  reasons,  are  often 
here,  so  that  we  are  seldom  alone.  But  you  will  re- 
member that  I  always  liked  to  have  company  better 
than  to  visit ;  so  it  is  no  burden  to  me." 

Let  us  now  take  another  view  of  the  secular  labors 
of  these  missionaries,  given  by  Miss  Fiske  in  writing 
to  her  sister.  "  We  are  now  laying  in  stores  for  our 
great  family,  and  for  ourselves.  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that  I  ought  to  tell  you  more  particularly^ 
just  how  we  live.  You  would  like  to  know  what  we 
eat,  as  well  as  what  we  do.  Now  that  we  keep  house, 
^c  think  most  of  good  bread  and  butter,  both  of 
which  we  make.  As  I  looked  at  my  churning  to- 
day,—  it  was  about  a  pound  and  a  half,  — I  felt  ver^i 
rich,  and  thought  it  looked  about  as  yellow  and  good 
as  your  butter.  Our  bread  is  always  of  wheat ;  no 
other  grain  being  raised  here.  We  buy  a  load  (five 
bushels)  for  a  dollar  and  three-quai:ters.    As  it  is  not 


294  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

properly  winnowed,  we  are  obliged  to  have  it  washed 
and  picked  over.  Then  the  mills  here  do  not  bolt  it, 
so  we  have  it  sifted  through  a  muslin  sieve.  The 
flour  is  very  good  when  all  is  done.  We  have  no 
fresh  fruit  for  winter,  but  we  dry  a  good  deal,  and 
cook,  as  we  want  it,  in  molasses  made  from  the 
juice  of  the  grape.  We  use  but  little  meat.  To- 
day I  have  made  some  squash  pies.  The  squash  was 
from  American  seed  and  the  pies  taste  home-like. 
Oh,  how  much  I  thank  our  dear  mother  for  teaching 
me  so  much,  and  so  well  in  the  kitchen  I  The  Nes- 
torians  honor  my  mother  for  this.  It  is  no  undesir- 
able thing  for  a  missionary  lady  to  be  acquainted  with 
domestic  economy.  Much  depends  on  having  good 
food,  that  is,  such  as  we  can  relish.  The  native 
dishes  are,  for  the  most  part,  very  greasy,  and  conse- 
quently unhealthy ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  there 
has  been  a  great  loss  of  health,  not  to  say,  of  life, 
among  missionaries,  for  want  of  such  food  as  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  eat.  We  would  be  as  free 
from  'serving  tables '  as  possible  ;  but  I  feel  that  health 
and,  consequently,  usefulness  are  so  dependent  on 
nourishing  food,  that  I  am  as  sure  that  I  am  doing 
missionary  work  when  providing  this,  as  when  hold- 
ing a  prayer-meeting." 

On  assembling  her  school  early  in  November,  Miss 
Fiske  could  say,  "  I  never  entered  into  my  work  with 
more  gratitude,  and  I  do  earnestly  hope  and  pray 
that  rich  spiritual  blessings  may  this  year  be  ours." 

The  incident  alluded  to  in  the  following  extract 
from  a  letter  to  a  friend,  written  in  December,  con- 
tains a  sermon  from  which  others  may,  perhaps,  profit 
as  much  as  did  Miss  Fiske. 


"if  you  love  me,  lean  hard."  295 

"I  have  learned  here,  as  I  never  did  in  America, 
that  He  who  fed  the  five  thousand  with  the  portion 
of  five,  can  feed  the  soul,  and  richly  feed  it,  too,  with 
what  I  once  thought  were  only  the  cru7?ibs.  May  I 
o-ive  you  one  of  the  Master's  sermons?  A  few  Sab- 
baths since  I  went  to  Geog  Tapa  with  Mr.  Stoddard. 
It  was  afternoon,  and  I  was  sitting  on  a  mat  near  the 
middle  of  the  church,  which  has  no  seats,  and  only  a 
floor  of  earth.  I  had  been  to  two  exercises  before 
f^oing  to  the  church,  one  the  Sabbath  school,  and  the 
other  a  prayer-meeting,  with  my  girls.  I  was  weary, 
and  longed  for  rest,  and,  with  no  support,  it  seemed 
to  rae  that  I  could  not  sit  there  till  the  close  of  the 
service  ;  nor  could  I  hope  for  rest  even  when  that 
was  over,  for  I  must  meet  the  women  readers  of  the 
village,  and  encourage  them  in  reading  their  Testa- 
ments. I  thought  how  I  would  love  to  be  in  your 
church  ;  but  God  took  the  thought  from  me  very  soon, 
for,  finding  that  there  was  some  one  directly  behind 
me,  I  looked,  and  there  was  one  of  the  sisters,  who 
had  seated  herself  so  that  I  might  lean  upon  her.  I 
objected  ;  but  she  drew  me  back  to  the  firm  support 
she  could  give,  saying,  'If  you  love  me,  you  will  lean 
hard.'  Did  I  not  then  lean  hard?  And  then  there 
came  the  Master's  own  voice,  'If  you  love  me,  you 
will  lean  hard ; '  and  I  leaned  on  Him  too,  and  felt 
that  He  had  sent  the  poor  woman  to  give  me  a  better 
sermon  than  I  might  have  heard  even  with  you.  I 
was  rested  long  before  the  church  services  were  fin- 
ished;  and  I  afterwards  had  a  long  hour  with  the 
women  readers,  and  closed  with  prayer.  A  little  after 
sunset  we  left,  to  ride  six  miles  to  our  home.  I  was 
surprised  to  find  that  I  was  not  at  all  weary  that  night, 


296  FAITH   WORBJNq  BY  LOVE. 

nor  in  the  morning,  and  I  have  rested  ever  since,  re- 
membering the  sweet  words,  "If  you  love  me,  lean 
hard." 

The  hostility  of  the  government  still  continued, 
and  there  seemed  reason  to  fear  that  the  schools 
would  all  be  broken  up.  But  in  this  time  of  trouble 
the  Lord  interposed,  and  another  precious  season  of 
revival  was  enjoyed  in  both  seminaries.  The  work 
in  the  female  seminary  was  one  of  peculiar  interest. 
Extracts  from  different  letters  of  Miss  Fiske  will  give 
a  connected  account  of  it. 

"  Another  cloud  of  mercy  has  passed  this  way,  and 
my  own  dear  school  has  shared  richly  in  the  blessing. 
We  assembled  our  school  last  November,  little  ex- 
pecting to  retain  the  pupils  many  weeks.  It  seemed 
as  if  earth  and  hell  had  combined  to  destroy  the  ten- 
der vine.  But  the  Lord  has  not  allowed  the  '  boar 
out  of  the  wood  to  waste  it.'  He  has  '  purged  it,  that 
it  might  brins:  forth  more  fruit,'  and  rich  have  been 
the  clusters  drooping  from  the  branches.  It  was  not 
till  the  eighteenth  of  February  that  we  saw  any  very 
marked  indications  of  the  Spirit's  presence  among 
our  dear  children.  There  was  more  than  usual  seri- 
ousness early  in  February,  but  it  was  like  the  morning 
cloud.  Sabbath  evening,  February  17th,  I  returned 
from  our  English  prayer-meeting,  with  an  unusually 
heavy  heart.  The  thought  that  our  term  was  rapidly 
passing  away,  and  not  a  soul  converted,  was  pecu- 
liarly saddening.  The  girls  had  retired,  and  I  was 
alone.  I  thought,  and  thought  upon  our  state,  but  I 
seemed  to  have  no  strength  to  rise  and  carry  those 
precious  souls  to  Christ.  Sleep  had  forsaken  me, 
and  I  so  shrunk  from  meeting  the  duties  of  Monday 


REVIVAL.  297 

that  I  almost  wished  for  a  long  night  rather  than  for 
the  morning.     It  was  eleven  o'clock,  and  I  supposed 
all  were  asleep,  when  I  heard  a  gentle  knock  at  m}' 
door.     Could  1  open  the  door?     Must  I  see  a  face 
again?     Yes,  I  could   and   did   open   the  door,  and 
there  stood  one  of  the  dear  girls  whose  heart  was  not 
as  cold  as  I  had  thought.     She  said,  'Are  you  very 
tired?'  'No,  not  very  tired,  —  why?'    'I  cannot  sleep  ; 
our  school  has  been  resting  on   me  all  day,  and  I 
thought  perhaps  you   would  pray  with  me.'     How 
changed  were  my  feelings  now  !     I  was  ready  to  say, 
'Come  in,  thou  who  art  sent  of  the  Lord.'     As  an 
angel  from  heaven  the  dear  child  strengthened  me 
that  night.      She  knelt  by  my  side,  and,  while  we 
felt  that  God  was  near,  we  carried  our  precious  family 
to  him.     She  did  not  leave  me  till  the  midnight  hour, 
and   then  I  could  sleep.      The   work  I  had  vainly 
sought  to  do  was  left  with  the  Lord,  and  there  was 
peace.     Jesus  said  at  that  hour,  'Peace  I  leave  with 
you ; '  and  when  the  morning  came  there  still  was 
peace.     It  was  hardly  light  when  I  went  in  to  morn- 
ing prayers.      'Could   ye   not   watch   with   me   one 
hour?'  was  the  word  that  Jesus  spoke  to  me  that 
first  waking  hour,  and  so  I  carried  it  to  our  flimily 
devotions.     I  had  hardly  repeated  it  when  I  saw  three 
in  tears.     They  were  in  difierent  parts  of  the  room, 
and  their  manner  indicated  tender  feeling.      I  said 
little,  for  it  seemed  safer  to  pray.     Is  the  Lord  with 
us  ?  I  asked  again  and  again  ;  and  as  I  knelt  in  prayer 
so  strong  was  the  assurance  that  he  had  indeed  come 
to  bless  us  that  I  could  but  say,   '  We  thank  thee, 
thou  long-neglected  Spirit,  that  thou  art  indeed  with 
us.'      All  day  there  was  a  tender,  subdued  feeling 


298  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

manifested  by  some,  but  no  one  asked  us  to  point  out 
to  them  the  way  to  heaven.  There  was  quiet  at  the 
tables,  quiet  in  the  rooms,  and  prayers  in  the  closets. 
Tuesday  was  a  deeply  solemn  day.  In  all  parts  of 
the  room  could  be  seen  those  whose  studies  seemed  a 
burden,  and  who  longed  to  be  alone  with  God.  Be- 
fore leaving  the  school-room  Tuesday  afternoon,  I 
said,  'If  there  is  one  of  our  dear  family  who  feels 
that  she  must  make  her  soul  her  first  care,  I  should 
be  glad  to  see  her  in  my  room  at  the  ringing  of  the 
half-past  eight  bell  this  evening.  That  bell  rang  ;  I 
sat  alone  in  my  room;  the  door  opened,  and  one 
came  in,  then  another,  and  another,  till  T  could  no 
longer  say,  'and  still  there's  room,'  but  could  only 
say,  'In  my  Father's  house  there  still  is  room.' 
Twenty-three  were  there  with  bowed  heads,  and 
never,  while  I  remember  to  pray  for  the  dear  Nes- 
toriaus,  shall  I  forget  the  solemnity  of  that  meeting. 
The  next  day  it  was  very  difficult  to  go  forward  with 
our  lessons,  and,  when  recess  came,  not  a  few  silently 
withdrew  to  their  closets.  At  eleven  o'clock  Mr. 
Perkins  came  from  Seir,  to  sing  with  the  school.  1 
went  out  to  meet  him,  and  told  him  that  we  had 
reason  to  feel  that  God  was  with  us.  He  said,  '  Shall 
I  sing  with  the  girls,  or  pray  with  them?  '  I  thought 
it  best  to  sing,  as  usual.  He  went  in,  and  gave  out 
'Blind  Bartimeus.'  Each  book  was  opened,  and  all 
began  to  sing,  but  some  voices  faltered  on  the  first 
stanza,  more  on  the  second,  and  before  the  close  of 
the  hymn  our  brother's  clear  voice  was  heard  all 
alone.  He  reached  out  his  hand  for  my  Bible,  and, 
opening  it,  said,  'There  is  a  time  to  sing  and  a  time 
to  pray,  and  perhaps  some  wandering  child  would  be 


EEVIVAL.  299 

glad  to  go  to  her  heavenly  Father  now.'  He  read  the 
parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son,  and  prayed.  It  was  af- 
fecting to  see  those  wanderers  turning  their  faces,  that 
day,  towards  their  Father's  house.  The  intermission 
at  noon  was  lengthened,  for  we  could  not  feel  it  right 
to  draw  the  girls  so  soon  from  their  closets. 

'*  The  girls  are  now  —  April  7th  —  away  for  a  va- 
cation. The  morning  of  their  departure  will  long  be 
remembered.  I  was  awakened  from  sleep  by  the 
voice  of  prayer  in  the  school-room,  and  soon  found 
that  a  few  girls,  who  lodged  in  that  room,  had  arisen 
from  their  beds,  and,  without  putting  up  their  bed- 
ding, had  knelt  down  to  pray  together  before  the 
dawn,  lest  they  should  have  no  other  time.  They 
had  six  prayers  before  the  rising-bell  rang.  After 
breakfast,  all  set  about  their  usual  domestic  work ; 
but  prayer-meetings  soon  followed,  and  some  of  tbem 
were  called  from  their  closets  when  their  friends  came 
for  them. 

"I  look  back  on  those  few  weeks  as,  perhaps,  the 
greenest  spot  in  all  my  earthly  pilgrimage.  I  thank 
the  Lord  for  giving  me  one  more  such  sweet  foretaste 
of  heave  J,  before  giving  me  a  place  among  his  re- 
deemed ones  above.  I  thank  him,  too,  for  remem- 
bering so  many  of  my  dear  girls.  I  have  long  loved 
them,  and  now  Jesus  loves  them.  What  more  could 
I  ask  for  them  ? 

"  There  has  been  some  interest  in  several  villages, 
and  many  have  come  to  us  for  religious  instruction. 
Could  you  have  seen  these  loved  Nestoriaus,  sitting 
down  by  us,  and  asking,  with  tearful  eyes,  for  the 
way  of  life,  you  would  not  wonder  that  I  could  not 


300  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

find  time  to  write.  For  two  mouths  I  did  not  write 
a  single  letter. 

"One  cold  morning,  soon  after  the  revival  began, 
a  woman,  who  had  walked  three  miles  through  the 
snow,  called  at  the  seminary,  with  the  inquiry,  'Is 
there  any  interest  in  the  school?'  'Why  do  you 
ask?'  replied  the  teacher.  'I  have  thought  of  you 
continually,'  she  said,  'for  two  or  three  days,  and 
last  night,  after  falling  asleep  thinking  about  you,  I 
dreamed  that  God  was  visiting  you  by  his  Holy  Spirit. 
So,  when  I  awoke,  I  arose  and  baked,  and  hurried 
here.  I  am  so  anxious  about  my  daughter  !  Can  I 
see  her?'  When  informed  that  the  Holy  Spirit  was 
there,  and  that  her  daughter  was  among  the  inquirers, 
she  sank  down,  weeping  for  joy.  She  soon  met  her 
daughter,  in  an  adjoining  room,  and,  in  her  earnest  in- 
tercessions with  her,  was  overheard  to  say,  'This  is 
more  than  anything  I  have  seen  in  Persia.'  Once  it 
was  only  pious  daughters  in  the  school  wrestling  in 
prayer  for  their  unconverted  mothers ;  now  it  is 
also  pious  mothers  wrestling  for  their  unconverted 
daughters  in  the  school." 

The  opposition,  which  could  not  prevent,  seemed 
to  be  intensified  by  this  interesting  work  of  grace.  It 
manifested  itself  especially  towards  the  native  help- 
ers, and  in  one  case  came  near  being  attended  with 
fatal  results.  Miss  Fiske  refers  to  it  in  the  followinfir 
letter :  — 

"  Our  helpers  have  been  reviled  and  insulted,  and,  to 
crown  all,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  take  the  lives 
of  Joseph  and  Sanum,  who  have  been  located  three 
,ears  in  Dizza  Takka.  This  was  done  by  putting 
irsenic  into  their  supper,  while  it  was  ovei*  the  fire. 


BAPTISM   AT    A   FAIB.  301 

Joseph  was  away,  attending  a  meeting,  and  thus  es- 
caped. Sanuni,  and  their  two  little  children,  ate  of 
the  soup,  and  in  about  five  minutes  werq  taken  seri- 
ously ill.  They  suspected  what  had  been  done,  and, 
Joseph  being  called,  emptied  the  pot  and  found 
arsenic  at  the  bottom.  Remedies  were  used,  and 
they  were  apparently  out  of  danger  when  Dr.  Wright 
reached  them.  There  is  little  doubt  as  to  who  did 
this  work,  but  they  are  not  yet  brought  to  justice. 
The  authorities  oppose  proper  investigation,  and 
would  evidently  be  glad  to  clear  the  guilty,  and  have 
probably  taken  bribes  for  this  purpose.  We  feel  that 
in  the  present  state  of  things  our  own  lives  are  in 
jeopardy  every  hour." 

The  poisoned  mother  fully  recovered,  but  the  chil- 
dren, after  lingering  some  months,  both  died. 

"Yesterday  was  our  last  school  day  this  year. 
The  girls  had,  for  some  time,  been  very  busy  in 
knitting,  etc.,  for  benevolent  purposes.  A  Sabbath- 
school  class  in  Boston  had  given  us  five  dollars' 
worth  of  tidy  cord,  woollen  yarn,  cotton  yarn, 
etc.,  which  we  thought  the  girls  might  make  into 
various  articles,  and  then  sell  them.  Accordingly 
the  last  day  of  the  school  was  fixed  upon  for  the  pur- 
pose. Mr.  Coan,  being  about  to  leave  for  Gavalan, 
proposed  to  have  his  little  girl  baptized  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  Mr.  Breath  also  wished  to  have  his  child 
baptized  at  the  same  time.  We  had  invited  all  the 
mission  and  several  natives  to  be  present,  and  at 
eleven  o'clock  all  met  in  our  school-room,  which  the 
girls  had  previously  prepared  with  some  taste.  The 
exercises  were  mostly  in  Syriac,  and  lasted  till  about 
twelve  o'clock.     After  dinner  we  repaired  again  to 


302  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

the  school-room.  The  girls'  work  was  first  sold, 
nearly  seventeen  dollars  being  realized  from  it.  This 
done,  each  member  of  the  mission  !^aid  a  few  words; 
a  hymn  was  sung,  and  the  exercises  were  closed  with 
prayer.  The  girls  propose  sending  their  money  to 
A^intab,  to  aid  in  teaching  the  one  hundred  and  fifty 
women  there  learning  to  read.*' 


MATERNAL   ASSOCIATION.  303 


CILiPTER  XXI. 

JUNE,    1856,   TO   JUNE,    1857. 

Maternal  Association.  —  Repair  of  Seminary  Building.  — Health  Impaired. 

—  Tour  in  the  Mountains  of  Koordistan.  —  Wedding  of  a  Pupil  in  the 
Mountains. —  Mission  Schools. —  Hostility  of  the  Government. —  Assassina- 
tion of  Askar  Kahn.  —  Sickness  and  Death  of  Mr.  Stoddard  and  Harriet. 

—  Religious  Interest  in  the  School.  — Thoughts  of  Heaven. 

At  the  close  of  her  school  in  1856,  Miss  Fiske 
greatly  needed  rest  and  change  of  scene  ;  but  she  felt 
that  duty  required  her  to  spend  most  of  the  summer 
in  the  city  ;  and  scarcely  any  period  of  her  mission- 
ary life  was  more  crowded  with  exhausting  labors 
than  those  months  of  vacation.  In  the  folio winfir  au- 
tumn  she  suffered  from  the  first  development  of  that 
disease  which  finally  caused  her  death,  and  she  always 
attributed  it  to  the  fatigue,  anxiety,  and  exposure 
attending  those  vacation  labors.  June  20th,  she 
writes:  "All  the  families  of  the  mission  have  now 
left  the  city  for  the  summer,  and  Miss  Rice  and  I  are 
left  here  alone.  Unless  there  should  be  unusual  sick- 
ness here,  we  shall  not  both  be  away  on  the  Sabbath, 
or  on  Friday,  for  we  have  a  flock  here  still,  to  whom 
we  are  tenderly  attached,  and  for  whom  we  feel  that 
we  must  labor." 

During  the  year  she  had  formed  what  might  be  called 
a  Maternal  Association,  — meeting  a  number  of  Nes- 
torian  mothers  every  Friday,  to  instruct  them  in  re- 


304  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

gard  to  their  duties.  In  this  meeting  she  felt  a  deep 
interest,  and  regretted  even  an  occasional  absence 
from  it.  Still  another  reason  for  remainiui?  in  the 
city  was  the  necessity  of  repairs  in  her  school-build- 
ing. The  house  being  built  of  mud,  the  walls  and 
roofs  often  needed  the  attention  of  the  mason  and 
carpenter.  She  preferred  to  superintend  this  work 
herself,  and  while  it  was  going  forward,  endeavored 
with  characteristic  zeal,  to  do  something  for  the  spirit- 
ual good  of  the  workmen  employed. 

Her  description  of  the  work  will  be  read  with  in- 
terest :  — 

"'June  20,  1856.  —  For  a  few  days  our  house  has 
presented  such  a  scene  as  you  will  probably  never 
witness,  unless  your  home  shall  be  in  Persia.  Some 
parts  of  our  mud  tenement  were  in  danger  of  falling 
in,  and  we  feared  that  a  serious  accident  might  be  the 
result,  if  it  were  longer  left  in  this  state.  As  soon, 
therefore,  as  our  pupils  left,  we  brought  together  a 
goodly  number  of  masons  and  other  workmen  to  de- 
molish, and  then  rebuild.  Miss  Rice  is  at  Se!r,  and 
I  am  glad  to  enjoy  the  dust  and  care  of  a  dozen  men 
alone,  for  there  is  danger  of  ophthalmia  to  those  who 
must  be  in  the  dust.  To-night  I  can  feel  that  the 
worst  part  of  our  work  is  done ;  the  pillars  being 
raised,  and  the  heavy  timbers  resting  on  them.  The 
workmen  have  been  very  willing  to  do  as  I  wished, 
and  I  feel  that  I  have  great  reason  for  gratitude  that 
no  harm  has  befallen  any  one.  Every  morning  the 
motley  group  of  workmen  have  met  in  our  school- 
room, and  we  have  read  the  Bible  to  them,  and  ques- 
tioned them  with  reference  to  it,  and  one  of  the 
masons,  who  is  pious,  has  then  led  in  prayer.     We 


HEALTH   IMPAIRED.  305 

feel  that  all  who  come  into  our  house  must  hear 
enough  of  the  gospel  to  enable  them  to  secure  life 
eternal,  and  when  we  have  no  missionary  brother 
with  us,  we  are  sure  that  our  Father  would  have  us 
lead  these  darkened  minds  to  the  light." 

"  July  4.  —  My  sixteen  women  have  been  in  again 
for  a  maternal  meeting.  One  of  our  older  pupils, 
who  is  with  me,  had  a  meeting  with  the  children.  I 
took  the  names  of  the  children  of  these  mothers,  and 
found  that  they  had  forty-three  children  living,  and  had 
lost  fifty-six.  This  is  perhaps  not  a  larger  proportion 
than  usual,  of  the  native  children  who  die  in  infancy." 

Amid  her  cares  and  labors  in  the  city,  she  found 
time  for  flying  visits  to  Saatloo,  Saralan,  Barandooz, 
Degala,  and  Wazarawa,  to  hold  meetings  and  attend 
Bible  classes  with  the  women.  In  August,  hearing  of 
the  illness  of  Mr.  Coan's  children  in  Gavalan,  she  has- 
tened thither  to  aid  in  caring  for  the  little  sufferers, 
tilling  up  every  moment,  when  she  could  be  spared 
from  the  sick-room,  with  efforts  for  the  good  of  the 
women,  who  were  glad  of  her  instructions  and  prayers. 

The  effect  of  these  incessant  labors  began  to  appear 
in  her  impaired  health.  "Since  my  return  from  Ga- 
valan," she  writes,  "my  eyes  have  almost  entirely  re- 
fused to  be  used.  During  the  spring  I  thought  they 
were  better;  but  a  succession  of  nights  of  watching 
has  brought  the  trouble  back  again,  and  I  am  obliged 
to  be  very  careful  about  exerting  myself  much  in  any 
way,  as  any  effort  affects  my  eyes  the  same  as  writing 
does.  I  am  sometimes  quite  discouraged  in  regard 
to  them,  and  then  again  I  am  hopeful." 

In  October  she  made  a  tour  in  the  mountains,  going 
to  places  which  had  never  before  been  visited  by  any 
20 


306  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

ladies  of  the  mission.     Of  this  tour  she  writes,  soon 
after  her  return : 

"You  will  be  surprised  to  know  that  I  have 
been  over  the  most  trying  roads  in  Koordistau,  and 
you  will  thank  the  Lord  that  I  am  safely  home. 
We  were  absent  from  Oroomiah  three  weeks. 
I  enjoyed  much  in  seeing  my  poor  sisters  in  those 
mountain  fastnesses,  but  I  cannot  conceal  the  fact 
that  the  journey  was  a  trying  one.  For  weeks  after 
my  return,  I  dreamed  every  night  of  the  dreadful 
precipices,  and  waked,  finding  myself  holding  on  to 
the  bed-posts  in  great  fear  of  falling.  I  rode  a  mule 
from  the  time  of  leaving  Gawar,  and  once  was  thrown 
over  his  head,  the  animal  falling  on  me.  One  man 
seized  his  tail,  and  another  his  ears,  and  so  I  was  un- 
harmed. In  going  from  district  to  district  we  were 
obliged  to  pass  mountain  ridges,  parts  of  which  were 
so  steep  that  it  was  not  possible  to  hold  on  to  the 
animal  in  ascending,  and  on  reaching  the  top  we  would 
find  a  corresponding  descent  to  the  next  valley. 
Walking  over  Mt.  Tom  would  be  an  easy  task  com- 
pared with  some  of  these  walks.  Sometimes  I  felt 
as  though  my  last  resting-place  would  be  on  the  moun- 
tain side  ;  but  strength  was  given  for  each  day  ;  and 
at  evening,  when  surrounded  by  listening  ones,  I 
never  regretted  any  effort  I  had  made.  I  enjoyed 
much  the  wild  scenery  on  the  banks  of  the  Zab :  but 
it  was  not  pleasant  often  to  feel  that  a  single  mistep 
would  plunge  me  hundreds  of  feet  below,  to  be 
dashed  in  pieces  on  the  rocks,  or  to  meet  death  as 
certainly  in  the  foaming  torrent.  But  the  Lord  was 
my  Keeper  and  the  Keeper  of  all  our  company.  I 
am  feeling  well  since  my  return,  and  think  the  change 


WEDDING   OF   A   PUPIL    IN    THE    MOUNTAINS.     307 

of  air  and  scenery  did  me  good.  During  the  sum- 
mer, neuralgia  was  my  almost  constant  guest ;  but  I 
am  now  quite  free  from  it.  I  really  feel  that  I  have 
five  times  as  much  strength  as  I  had  three  months 
ago.  Had  my  tour  been  months  instead  of  weeks, 
I  should  probably  have  become  quite  robust." 

In  the  valley  of  Tekhoma  the  tourists  attended  the 
weddins:  of  one  who  had  been  for  a  short  time  a 
pupil  in  the  semiuary.    Miss  Fiske  thus  describes  it :  — 

"  As  we  came  in  sight  of  the  bridegroom's  house,  all 
was  noise  and  confusion  ;  some  were  playing  on  the 
drum  and  fife  before  the  door,  while  others,  fantasti- 
cally tricked  out  with  marigolds,  were  engaged  iu  the 
most  wild  and  boisterous  dance  I  ever  saw,  and  siug- 
inorrude  and  wicked  Koordish  souii^s.  Several  of  the 
dancers  were  brandishing  drawn  swords,  as  they 
danced  in  imitation  of  the  Koordish  war  dance  ;  and 
others  were,  at  intervals,  discharging  pistols.  I 
know  not  when  ray  feelings  were  more  shocked  than 
by  seeing  such  a  profanation  of  the  Sabbath  by  those 
who  were  nominal  Christians.  It  soon  became  evi- 
dent that  we  could  accomplish  but  little  good  by  our 
presence,  especially  as  so  many  of  the  people  were 
under  the  influence  of  wine.  We  however  sat  down 
for  a  time  and  conversed  with  a  few  persons  who  were 
willing  to  listen.  As  we  sat  by  the  door,  the  bride 
was  brought  in  by  a  noisy  procession,  amid  the 
music  of  drums  and  fifes,  the  firing  of  guns,  and  the 
shouts  of  the  rabble.  When  she  was  about  entering 
the  house  a  quantity  of  walnuts  and  raisins  was 
poured  on  her  head ;  which  were  scrambled  for  by 
the  boys  and  girls.  Before  leaving,  I  had  an 
opportunity  of   talking  a  little  with  the  poor  girl, 


308  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

who  was  forced  to  act  a  part,  no  doubt  greatly  against 
her  will,  in  such  heathenish  proceedings,  and  of  re- 
minding her  of  the  truth  she  had  heard  in  days  gone 
by.  It  may  be  that  she  will  hereafter  remember  our 
visit  with  interest  and  profit." 

Miss  Fiske,  having  received  a  letter  which  alluded 
to  the  Report  made  by  the  Deputation  sent  out  to 
India  in  1855,  to  examine  into  the  condition  of  the 
mission  schools  there,  thus  replied  :  — 

"iVbv.  4,  1856.  —  You  refer  to  the  education  ques- 
tion before  the  American  Board.  I  have  read  with 
much  care  everything  that  has  come  from  the  press  in 
regard  to  it ;  and  you  will  perhaps  be  surprised  when 
I  tell  you  that  I  most  cordially  approve  the  views  of 
the  deputation  to  India,  so  far  as  I  understand  them. 
I  do  not  think  they  intended  to  interfere  with  schools, 
where  the  first  and  great  work  was  to  save  souls.  .  . 
I  deeply  feel  that  the  missionary  who  has  the  care  of 
a  seminary  is  in  great  danger  of  allowing  the  study 
of  English,  or  science,  to  come  in  and  rob  God  of 
his  dues.  Oh,  I  have  felt  this,  and  have  made  it  my 
daily  prayer  that  I  might  be  kept  from  it !  We  must 
strive  to  make  our  pupils  intelligent ;  but  if  they  do 
not  become  Christians  our  labors  are  in  vain.  It  is 
not  my  impression  that  Dr.  Anderson,  if  he  had  vis- 
ited us,  would  have  wished  to  change  essentially  our 
seminaries  ;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  would 
have  ^vished  our  village-school  system  somewhat  re- 
duced, and  I  think  it  will  be  reduced  without  direc- 
tions from  home.  These  schools  have  done  great 
good,  but  as  our  work  progresses  changes  are  called 
for,  and  one,  I  think,  is  that  there  be  fewer  schools 
and  more  preaching  of  the  word." 


HOSTILITY   OF    THE    GOVERNMENT.  30? 

Miss  Fiske,  having  reassembled  her  school,  writes, 
Nov.  13th  :  "Onr  present  nnraber  of  pnpils  is  a  little 
less  than  forty.  The  government  agent  here  is  very 
busy  trying  to  excite  such  fears  as  will  keep  girls 
away  from  the  school.  He  threatens  to  tine  every 
parent  who  shall  presume  to  allow  his  daughter  to  re- 
main with  us  after  about  the  twentieth  of  this  mouth. 
The  parents  seem  but  little  intimidated  as  yet,  but 
we  are  not  without  considerable  anxiety.  The  Lord 
reigns.     This  is  our  stay  and  comfort." 

Again,  Dec.  18th,  she  writes,  in  regard  to  the  oppo- 
sition :  "Our  helpers  have  been  imprisoned,  beaten, 
and  threatened  with  being  sent  to  Tabreez  in  chains. 
They  are  forbidden  to  preach  in  the  churches,  and 
bonds  have  been  given  by  evil-minded  men,  in  which 
they  pledge  themselves,  in  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, to  report  if  they  go  to  the  church,  break  the  fasts, 
etc.  Our  village  schools  are  almost  all  broken  up,  and 
we  hourly  expect  the  pupils  of  our  seminaries  to  be 
taken  from  us.  We  awake  to  the  fact  that  the  Persian 
government  is  determined  to  break  up  all  our  opera- 
tions, and  to  drive  us  from  the  country.  We  look  in 
vain  for  help  from  any  earthly  source.  We  are  tried, 
but  we  do  not  despair,  feeling  that  God  will  appear  for 
us  in  due  time.  I  had  a  most  pleasant  dream  a  few 
nights  ago,  in  which  I  thought  my  dear  fiither  sent  my 
departed  sisters  to  ask  me  to  come  and  stay  with  him 
until  the  storm  was  past.  I  leaned  on  him  once  more, 
and  asked  him  if  he  was  sure  the  enemy  would  not 
come  to  his  dwelling.  He  replied,  '  My  child,  rest 
here  with  me.  I  want  you  to  stay  with  me,  and  you 
may  be  sure  the  enemy  will  never  cross  the  river.'  I 
said,  'My  father,   the   river  is  very  shallow.'     He 


310  FAITH   WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

looked  at  me  most  tenderly,  saying,  *  I  know  it,  my 
child,  but  the  enemy  were  never  known  to  cross  it.'  I 
then  rested  sweetly  with  ray  dear  father.  I  waked  to 
find  it  all  a  dream ;  but  I  have  loved  to  dwell  on  it  in 
my  waking  hours.  If  we  ever  reach  the  blissful  shores 
of  heaven  no  enemy  can  come  after  us." 

The  enemy  did  not  cross  the  "  shallow  stream,"  in 
this  instance.     A  divine  hand  held  him  back,  though 
his  feet  were  allowed  to  advance  a  little  farther  into 
the  waters.    Late  in  the  autumn  the  agent  of  the  gov- 
ernment, Askar  Khan,  again  visited  the  female  semi- 
nary, exploring  with  an  inquisitorial  eye  every  part 
of  it.     In  the  school-room  he  paused,  and  began  to 
question  one  of  the  girls  who  could  speak  Turkish. 
Some  of  the  questions  and  answers  were  as  follows  :  — 
''Are  3'ou  allowed  to  follow  your  own  customs?  " 
"  We  follow  all  that  are  good.     We  have  Sv)rae  very 
foolish  customs  which  you  would  not  wish  us  to  follow." 
"Do  these  ladies  let  you  see  your  friends?" 
"  Certainly  ;  we  always  see  them  when  they  come 
here,  and  we  go  home  three  times  a  year,  and  once 
we  stay  three  months." 

"What  do  you  do  when  in  your  villages?" 
"  We  go  out  into  the  fields  and  work,  and  do  every- 
thing our  friends  do." 

"  Are  your  teachers  willing?  " 
"  They  tell  us  to  help  our  friends  all  we  can,  and 
are  sometimes  displeased  because  we  clo  no  more  for 
them." 

"  When  here  what  do  you  do  ?  " 

"  We  study  and  learn  all  wisdom." 

"Are  you  allowed  to  use  your  own  books?" 

"Certainly.     The  book  which  is  the  foundation  of 


DEATH   OF   MR.    STODDARD.  311 

our  religion  they  have  printed  for  us,  and  we  use  it 
more  than  any  other." 

"Do  you  fast?" 

"  One  day  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  several 
other  days." 

"  Have  you  not  forsaken  your  father's  fasts  ?  " 

"  Not  any  that  are  written  in  that  book.  I  am 
careful  to  keep  all  those." 

"  Would  your  teachers  be  willing  that  you  should 
fast?" 

"  They  would  be  willing ;  but  we  do  not  wish  to 
fast  more  than  our  book  requires." 

"  What  are  your  prayers  ?  " 

"  Such  as  our  book  teaches  us." 

The  examiner  was  baffled  by  the  discreet  replies  of 
the  girl ;  yet  in  a  decided  manner  condemned  female 
education,  and  told  the  girls  that  their  former  condi- 
tion was  the  only  proper  one  for  them. 

But  the  time^had  come  for  this  "enemy  of  all  right- 
eousness "  to  be  taken  out  of  the  way.  His  removal 
was  sudden,  and  in  an  unlooked-for  manner.  Askar 
Khan  was  assassinated  in  his  own  tent  by  a  Koordish 
chief,  Dec.  18th,  and  the  next  day  his  corpse  was 
carried  past  the  very  door  of  the  missionaries  whom 
he  had  sought  to  oppress. 

But  a  sorer  trial  than  persecution  was  soon  to 
befall  the  mission  in  the  death  of  "that  disciple 
whom  Jesus  loved," — Rev.  D.  T.  Stoddard.  For 
many  reasons  Miss  Fiske  was  deeply  afflicted  by  this 
event.  She  and  Mr.  S.  joined  the  mission  at  the 
same  time,  and  they  had  been  intimately  associated 
in  the  educational  department  of  the  work, — had 
made  frequent  tours  together  in  the  mountains  and 


312  FAITH   WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

among  the  villages,  and  were  in  full  sympathy  in 
their  general  views  of  the  missionary  service,  and  in 
the  spirit  of  elevated  and  ardent  piety  which  so  well 
fitted  them  for  that  service.  While  together  scaling 
the  mountains  of  Koordistan  in  October,  they  little 
thought  that,  in  three  months, his  feet  would  stand  on 
Mount  Zion  above,  and  that  she  was  inhaling  vigor 
from  those  mountain  breezes  for  watching  so  soon  by 
his  sick  and  dying  bed. 

Mr.  Stoddard  was  attacked  with  typhus  fever  on 
the  22d  of  December,  1856,  and  died  January  22d, 
1857.  During  that  month  of  severe  sickness,  Miss 
Fiske  was  with  the  afflicted  family.  "  You  will  per- 
haps wonder,"  she  writes  to  a  friend,  "that  I  should 
be  away  from  my  school  for  twenty  days.  I  stayed, 
not  because  I  was  able  to  do  so  much,  but  because  I 
could  not  bear  to  leave.  I  felt  that  I  was  hanging 
over  the  dying-bed  of  one  of  the  last  of  my  early  mis- 
sionary friends.  I  could  not  tear  my^^elf  away,  and, 
for  the  last  four  days,  I  was  never,  for  more  than  two 
hours  at  a  time,  away  from  his  bedside  till  he  had 
gone  from  us." 

When  the  sad  event  took  place,  Miss  Fiske  imme- 
diately announced  it  to  her  associate  Miss  Rice  in  the 
following  note  :  — 

"Thursday,  Midnight. 

"  My  dear  Sister  : —  *  It  is  finished  ;  the  conflict  is 
past.'  As  you  gather  our  precious  family  around  you 
for  morning  prayer,  read  this  hymn,  and  think  of  our 
dear,  dear  brother  as  a  happy  spirit  before  the  throne. 
At  twenty  minutes  past  eleven,  he  passed  away  so 
gently  that  we  could  hardly  tell  when  he  was  gone. 
Peace,  oh,  such  sweet  peace  sits  on  his  countenance  I 


DEATH    OF   MR.   STODDARD's   DAUGHTER.  313 

Let  the  girls  also  sing  this  morning,  '  How  blest  the 
righteous  when  he  dies  ; '  for  its  sweet  words  com- 
forted our  hearts  when  we  felt  sure  he  was  Sfone. 
My  heart  is  full,  I  want  to  see  you  all  once  again, 
and  with  you  pray,  as  our  dear,  departed  brother  did, 
Monday  night,  'Let  us  be  thine  in  life,  thine  in  death, 
thine  in  judgment,  and  thine  when  an  abundant  en- 
trance shall  be  ministered  into  thy  kingdom.' 
*'  Your  affectionate  sister, 

"F.    FiSKE." 

Only  one  short  month  had  passed  after  Mr.  Stod- 
dard's death,  before  his  eldest  daughter,  who,  on  the 
previous  November,  publicly  confessed  Christ,  and, 
with  her  father,  sat,  for  the  first  time,  at  the  sacra- 
mental table,  was  attacked  by  the  same  disease  which 
had  just  made  such  a  wide  breach  in  the  missionary 
circle  ;  and  in  twenty  days  another  grave  was  made 
in  the  little  cemetery  at  Seir.  Father  and  daughter 
slept  side  by  side  on  that  green,  sunny  slope  to  which 
the  thoughts  of  many,  both  in  Persia  arid  America, 
turn  with  tender  interest. 

March  21,  1857,  Miss  Fiske  writes:  "When 
Harriet  was  first  taken  sick,  I  supposed  it  impossible 
for  me  to  reach  her,  as  the  roads  were  so  blocked  up 
with  snow,  that  they  were  only  passable  to  footmen. 
But  Mr.  Perkins'  great  anxiety  to  have  me  with  her 
dear  mother,  to  aid  and  comfort  her,  led  him  to  come 
down  for  me ;  and  I  was  drawn  to  Seir  on  a  hand- 
sled  on  the  4th  instant.  I  was  thankful  for  this 
privilege  of  going  to  see  dear  Harriet,  and  thankful 
that  I  could  remain  with  her  as  long  as  mortals  could 
do  anything  for  her." 


'614  FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

Only  for  brief  seasons  of  rest  did  she  leave  the  lit- 
tle one  till  her  sufferings  were  ended.  "lean  never 
forget,"  she  writes,  '*  my  feelings,  as  a  missionary 
brother  said  to  me,  when  her  gentle  spirit  had  passed 
away,  '  Will  you  close  her  eyes?'  My  thoughts  went 
back  to  the  same  evening  of  the  same  month,  thirteen 
years  ago,  when  I  passed  the  evening  and  night  with 
Harriet  in  my  arras,  or  standing  by  the  sick  mother. 
Now,  mother,  father,  and  child  are  gone,  and  I  alone 
am  left  of  those  who  watched  and  suffered  in  that 
sick-room,  March  16,  1844.  As  I  placed  my  hand 
on  dear  Harriet's  eyes,  for  a  few  minutes  I  could  not 
close  them,  but  rested  my  head  on  the  pillow  beside 
her,  and  wept  bitter  tears.  .  .  .  We  knelt  by  the 
bed  of  the  departed  one,  and  prayed  ;  and  tried  to 
trace  the  spirit's  upward  flight,  and  to  think  of  the 
joyous  meeting  of  father,  mother,  and  daughter,  and 
of  their  being  forever  with  the  precious  Saviour.  It 
was  such  a  sweet  vision  which  passed  before  us,  we 
felt  that  we  would  not,  if  we  could,  bring  back  either 
of  the  three  to  be  with  us.  Blessed  family  meeting ! 
Separation  will  be  '  known  no  more.'  Such  were  our 
feelings  as  we  looked  upward ;  but  when  we  turned 
our  eyes  again  to  earth,  sadness  stole  over  us." 

Before  Miss  Fiske  was  called  to  Seir  by  the  sick- 
ness of  Harriet,  there  were  indications  of  unusual 
relisrious  interest  in  her  school.  Her  first  thought 
was,  that  she  could  not  be  absent  at  such  a  time,  but 
finally  concluded  that  if  duty  called  her  elsewhere, 
the  Lord  would  take  care  of  his  own  work  without 
her  help.  "When  I  left  to  go  to  Seir,"  she  says, 
"  several  of  my  dear  girls  were  inquiring  for  the  way 
of  life.     Their  impressions  were  greatly  deepened  by- 


THOUGHTS   OF  HEAVEN.  315 

the  call  of  Harriet  to  go  up  higher ;  and  others  were 
added  to  the  list  of  inquiries.  Wheu  I  returned,  I 
had  a  most  affecting  meeting  with  a  little  band,  who 
hoped  that  they  had  begun  to  love  the  Saviour  during 
my  absence." 

From  that  hallowed  spot  at  Seir,  where  she  had 
seen  the  gate  of  heaven  open  twice  within  a  short 
time,  Miss  Fiske  returned  to  her  school  duties  with 
a  body  worn  and  weary,  and  with  a  spirit  chastened 
and  filled  with  heavenly  longings. 

To  her  mother  she  writes.  May  21st:  "Is  it  not 
pleasant  to  think  of  being  almost  home?  Will  you 
not  enjoy  the  *  communion  of  the  saints  '  made  per- 
fect, as  yon  cannot  that  of  frail  imperfect  beings  on 
earth  ?  Will  you  not  again  clasp  your  long-lost  chil- 
dren there?  The  dear  babes,  whom  you  gave  to  the 
grave  more  than  forty  years  ago,  are  not  lost.  You 
shall  see  them  again,  little  ones  before  the  throne ; 
and  I  hope  you  will  find  your  other  children  there,  or 
that  they  will  soon  follow  you  to  your  sweet  rest. 
How  glad  will  papa  be  to  see  you,  and  to  see  all  his 
dear  family  !  In  my  sleeping  hours  I  often  see  him, 
and  he  always  comforts  me,  and  wipes  away  the  fall- 
ino:  tear.  It  will  be  delightful  to  meet  our  friends  in 
heaven ;  but,  wheu  we  look  on  our  dear  Redeemer,  I 
suspect  we  shall  almost  forget  our  friends.  To  see 
Jesus  as  he  is ;  to  grow  in  likeness  to  him  every 
hour ;  oh,  will  it  not  be  delightful !  We  shall  sin  no 
more  when  we  reach  heaven ;  will  not  that,  too,  be 
delightful  ?  " 

.  A  little  later,  writing  to  her  sister,  she  says : 
**  We  must  not  dwell  too  much  on  our  losses,  nor  on 
the  closinsr  scenes  in  the  life  of  dear  friends.     We 


316  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

must  look  away  to  the  world  of  life  and  love,  and 
there  behold  our  dear  ones  free  from  all  sin ;  sick  no 
more ;  every  hour  learning  something  new  of  the 
Holy  One  ;  satisfied  in  a  Saviour's  love,  and  serving 
him  without  weariness.  If  I  could  sing,  I  am  sure  I 
should  often  sing,  '  Oh,  I  want  to  be  there  ! '  But  I 
am  willing  and  glad  to  stay  here  just  as  long  as  my 
Father  wants  me  to  stay.  I  only  pray  that  I  may 
become  so  much  assimilated  to  the  holy  ones  above, 
that  I  shall  fed  at  home,  if  permitted  to  reach  the 
heavenly  land." 


COUNSEL   TO   A    YOUNG    CHRISTIAN.  317 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


LAST   YEAR   IN   PERSIA. 


Counsel  to  a  Young  Christian.  —  Death  of  Mrs.  Rhea.  —  Revival.  —  Sanc- 
tified Sorrow.  —  Decides  to  return  to  America.  —  Last  Communion  Season 
in  Persia.  —  Last  Prayer-Meeting.  —  Farewell.  —  Journej.  —Voyage.  — 
At  Home  Again. 

Circumstances  again  made  it  expedient  for  Miss 
Fiske  to  spend  the  entire  summer  vacation  in  the  city 
and  at  Seir,  and  she  was  too  busily  occupied  to  find 
the  rest  she  greatly  needed.  Her  eyes  protested 
against  such  incessant  use,  and  for  several  weeks  she 
was  obliged  to  give  them  an  unbroken  holiday.  But 
weak  eyes  did  not  prevent  her  from  rendering  the 
sympathy  and  aid  so  much  needed  and  so  fully  appre- 
ciated by  that  stricken  missionary  sister,  from  whose 
desolated  home  she  had  so  recently  witnessed  the  de- 
parture of  two  whom  she  tenderly  loved. 

As  the  season  advanced  she  was  able  to  resume  her 
pen  occasionally.  To  a  niece  she  gives  the  following 
excellent  advice  :  "  Whatever  Providence  gives  you 
to  do,  do  it  with  all  your  heart.  If  3'ou  arc  a  house- 
keeper, keep  house  well ;  if  you  are  sewing,  sew 
well ;  if  in  the  sick-room,  strive  to  do  everything  in 
the  most  quiet  and  acceptable  manner  for  the  sick 
one.  You  will,  probably,  never  meet  a  person  of 
whom  you  may  not  learn  something  valuable.    I  have 


318  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

never  known  a  person  so  faulty,  that  he  did  not  com- 
bine with  his  faults  some  excellences.  I  think  you 
will  find  the  same  true.  Dwell  as  little  as  possible  on 
a  person's  faults  ;  speak  of  them  less  than  you  think  of 
them  ;  and  let  them  never  hinder  you  from  imitating 
what  is  truly  excellent."     .... 

To  her  mother  she  sent  the  following  tender  ex- 
pression of  her  filial  devotion,  on  the  seventeenth  an- 
niversary of  her  father's  death. 

"  September  27th,  1857. 

'*  My  dearly  loved  Mother  :  —  I  know  that  your 
thoughts  have  turned  to  your  far-ofi*  child  to-day  ;  and 
my  first  thoughts  were  certainly  given  to  my  lone 
widowed  mother.  You,  probably,  sometimes  feel  that 
your  lonely  pilgrimage  is  a  long  one,  and  that  it  would 
be  good  to  be  at  rest  with  the  dear  Saviour,  and  the 
departed  loved  ones.  And,  my  mother,  you  will  go 
home  just  as  soon  as  your  work  is  all  done.  It  is. a 
great  comfort  to  your  surviving  children  that  you  still 
live.  I  know  that  you  have  more  in  heaven  than  on 
earth,  but  there  are  hearts  on  earth  which  cling  to  you 
very  closely.  They  pray  not  only  that  your  life  may 
be  prolonged,  but  that  your  last  days  may  be  very 
peaceful  and  happy,  and  that,  walking  quite  on  the 
verge  of  heaven,  you  may  have  very  rich  foretastes 
of  your  eternal  rest.  The  Saviour  stayed  not  in  this 
world  till  old  age  ;  but  I  know  that  he  loves  his  aged 
disciples,  and  sympathizes  with  them  most  tenderly. 
The  loving  John  leaned  on  his  bosom  in  old  age,  as 
truly  as  in  youth,  and  I  doubt  not  that  the  Saviour 
loved  him  more  tenderly  than  when  the  glow  of 
youth  was  on  his  cheek.  '  Paul  the  aged '  was  not 
forsaken  of  Him,  by  whom  he  had  been  called  in 


DEATH   OF   MRS.    KHEA.  319 

early  manhood.  His  last  words  show  that  he  was 
still  the  object  of  his  Eedeemer's  tender  love  and 
care.  Feel  not,  my  mother,  for  a  moment,  that  your 
dearest  Friend  is  not  as  near  and  as  compassionate, 
as  on  the  day  when  you  gave  him  your  young  heart. 

"  *  When  age  with  gray  hairs  shall  their  temples  adorn, 
Like  Iambs  they  shall  still  in  His  bosom  be  borne.' 

"  When  we  cannot  do  for  our  Lord  and  Master  we 
can  *  lie  passive  in  his  hands  ; '  and  perhaps  he  never 
loves  us  so  well  as  when  thus  we  show  that  in  him  we 
have  believed." 

The  mouth  of  September  brought  another  sore 
bereavement  to  this  mission.  Mrs.  Khea,  whose 
lovely  character  and  missionary  zeal  had  greatly  en- 
deared her  to  her  associates,  died,  after  weeks  of 
acute  suffering,  at  Gawar,  where  her  husband  was 
stationed.  Miss  Fiske  was  denied  the  privilege  of 
being  with  her  suffering  sister ;  but  did  all  she  could 
for  her  through  others.  To  Miss  Rice,  who  was  at 
Gawar,  she  wrote  :  "I  am  not  only  willing,  but  glad 
to  have  you  with  them.  Our  missionary  work  is  our 
first  work,  and  if  we  can  do  anything  to  contribute 
to  the  precious  life  and  health  of  our  brothers  and 
sisters,  it  is  missionary  work  in  the  highest  sense.". 

Miss  Fiske  entered  upon,  what  proved  to  be,  the 
last  year  of  her  connection  with  her  loved  school, 
with  but  partially  recruited  energies. 

"  We  have,"  she  writes,  November  5th,  "  a  large 
number  of  new  scholars  this  year,  but  they  seem  a 
pleasant  company,  and,  if  the  Lord  condescend  to 
dwell  with  us,  we  may  hope  for  a  year  of  blessings. 
I  sometimes  feel  much  worn  under   my  labors  and 


A  20 


FAITH    WORKING    BY   LOVE. 


cares ;  but  I  have  great  reason  for  gratitude  for  so 
laro^e  a  measure  of  health  as  is  o-ranted  me.  I  want  to 
live  better,  and  to  be  prepared  for  my  eternal  home." 

She  labored  on  through  the  long  winter  of  twenty 
weeks  with  diminished  strength,  but  with  undimin- 
ished zeal.  "I  have  generally  felt  ver}-- well,"  she 
writes,  "and  school  duties  have  been  a  pleasure,  and 
they  are  a  pleasure  still,  when  strength  does  not  fail. 
The  feeling  will  sometimes  steal  over  me  that  I  may 
become  unfitted  for  missionary  work,  and  be  a  burden, 
rather  than  a  help,  in  the  blessed  cause.  But  I  will 
not  despond;  my  times  are  in  my  Father's  hands." 
Her  earnest  desire  for  another  revival  in  her  school 
was  granted  ;  and  the  spring  months  of  1858  wit- 
nessed a  repetition  of  those  scenes  which  had  so  often 
gladdened  her  heart  in  former  years.  We  give  her 
own  account  of  it :  — 

^^  April  7th,  1858.  —  Since  writing  you,  we  have 
seen  some  delightful  days ;  delightful,  because  the 
Saviour  was  with  us  to  seal  precious  souls  for 
himself.  The  interest  in  our  school  commenced 
early  in  February,  and  continued  to  the  close  of  the 
term,  about  the  20th  of  March.  The  number  of  hope- 
ful conversions  was  not  so  large  as  it  was  two  years 
ago,  neither  was  the  number  of  the  impenitent  so  large 
at  the  commencement  of  the  year.  I  look  back  on 
the  season,  as,  on  the  whole,  one  of  the  most  precious 
I  have  seen  in  my  missionary  life.  I  have  had  less 
of  health  and  strength  to  engage  in  active  labors, 
than  during  some  previous  seasons  of  refreshing ; 
still,  I  have  been  permitted  to  point  many  never-dy- 
ing souls  to  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  all 
sin.     Oh,  how  thankful  I  am  for  the  privilege  of 


DECIDES   TO   RETURN   TO   AMERICA.  321 

doing  so  !  What  are  we,  that  it  is  given  us  to  be  co- 
workers with  our  dear  Redeemer?" 

The  state  of  Miss  Fiske's  health  was  becoming  more 
and  more  precarious,  and  the  question  of  duty  in  re- 
gard to  it,  a  more  serious  and  pressing  one.  "You 
ask  me,"  she  writes,  "  if  I  do  not  hope  to  see  Shel- 
burne  Hills  again.  It  has  not  been  my  general  ex- 
pectation that  I  ever  should.  When  I  gave  up  my 
American  friends  it  was  with  the  feeling  that  I  was 
doing  so  for  Christ's  sake,  and  that  I  should  not  see 
them  again  till  I  should  see  my  Saviour.  I  have  been 
perfectly  happy  in  this  feeling,  and  still  am  ;  but  the 
last  year  has  made  me  feel  that  I  cannot  expect  to 
labor  man}''  more  years  without  such  a  change  as  I 
cannot  find  here.  It  may  be  my  duty  to  leave  for  a 
season,  and  that,  too,  before  very  long.  I  wait  to 
know  my  Father's  will." 

After  a  brief  vacation,  the  school  was  reassembled, 
and  Miss  Fiske  resumed  her  duties  in  connection  with 
it.  But  it  soon  became  evident  to  the  members  of 
the  mission  that  she  could  not  long  continue  her  mis- 
sionary work  without  a  prolonged  season  of  rest.  In- 
dications of  the  disease  which  terminated  her  life 
had  appeared,  and,  in  the  judgment  of  the  mission 
physician,  were  of  too  alarming  a  character  to  be 
longer  neglected.  It  was  hoped  that  a  voyage  at  sea 
would  benefit  her ;  while  in  her  native  land  she  could 
receive  such  medical  treatment  as  her  case  required. 
And,  as  Dr.  Perkins  and  Mrs.  Stoddard  were  expect- 
ing to  leave  for  America  the  following  summer,  it 
was  decided  that  she  should  accompany  them.  This 
decision  she  thus  announces  in  a  letter,  under  date 
of  April  28th  :  — 

21 


322  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

"  My  dear  Sister  :  —  You  will  perhaps  be  sur- 
prised by  what  I  am  now  about  to  tell  you.  After 
fifteen  years  of  unceasing  labor  in  the  missionary 
field,  it  is  thought  by  my  good  friends  here  that  I 
must  seek  a  change  for  a  season,  in  order  to  prolong 
my  life  and  usefulness.  A  few  months  more  may 
find  me  on  my  way  to  my  native  land.  If  spared  to 
reach  you,  will  you  again  give  me  a  place  in  your 
family?  I  feel  confident  that  you  will  give  me  a 
sister's  welcome,  and  that  I  may  pass  a  year  with 
you,  comforting  and  being  comforted.  I  shall  feel 
like  a  stranger,  and  my  heart  well-nigh  bursts  as  I 
look  forward  to  the  future.  I  leave  my  own  home 
here  to  be  homeless." 

Further  expression  of  her  feelings  in  regard  to  this 
step  is  given  in  extracts  from  subsequent  letters  :  — 

"  Mai/  13.  — I  have  given  up  my  school,  and  am 
making  preparations  for  my  long  journey.  While  I 
do  not,  and  cannot,  doubt  that  it  is  best  for  me  to  plan 
for  this,  still  I  often  have  very  sad  feelings.  The 
future  looks  dark,  very  dark.  But  I  seek  to  trust 
my  dear  Father  who  has  always  led  me  so  gently."  . 

"29. — Very  few  missiou'iries  can  leave  with 
such  pleasant  recollections  of  their  life  on  missionary 
ground  as  I  shall  carry  with  me.  I  have  been  laid 
aside  from  labor  very  little,  and  more  than  half  of 
the  years  I  have  spenthere,  the  gentle  dews  of  heaven 
have  distilled  upon  ray  precious  school,  and  upon 
those  about  me.  When  I  came  here  there  was  no 
N"estorian  female  whom  I  could  take  by  the  hand  and 
call  a  sister  in  Christ. 

''How  rejoiced  was  I  when  I  saw  one  such  !  A  few 
weeks  since,  on  our  communion  day,  I  was  allowed 


LAST   PRAYER-MEETING.  323 

the  privilege  of  taking  ninety-three  by  the  hand,  and 
give  them  seats  in  our  chapel  previous  to  coming  to 
the  Lord's  table.  Forty-two  of  these  had  been  my 
own  dear  pupils ;  several  others  were  detained  from 
being  present." 

The  communion  season  in  May  was  one  of  peculiar 
interest,  and  was  the  last  which  Miss  Fiske  enjoyed 
with  the  Nestorians.  An  account  of  it,  and  of  a 
prayer-meeting  which  she  held  with  her  pupils  on  the 
same  day,  can  best  be  given  in  her  own  words  :  — 

"  The  day  was  one  of  the  finest  of  those  charming 
May  days  in  Oroomiah.  Most  of  the  communicants 
were  able  to  be  with  us.  Those  who  had  been  our 
former  pupils  came  at  once  to  our  school,  while  others 
were  distributed  among  the  families  of  the  mission. 
I  had  asked  this,  that  I  might  gather  my  scattered 
children  around  me  once  more  in  a  prayer-meeting, 
before  going  to  the  Lord's  table.  As  many  as  sixty 
or  seventy  of  our  pupils  were  with  us.  They  had 
come  from  distances  varying  from  one  mile  to  sixty. 
As  they  gathered  in  our  Bethel,  on  which  at  different 
times  we  had  written '  Bochim,'  *  Ebeuezer,' '  Jehovah- 
nissi,'  their  teuderest  feelings  were  called  forth.  As 
yet  they  knew  nothing  of  my  intention  to  leave,  and, 
as  I  did  not  wish  to  turn  their  thoughts  from  Christ 
to  me,  I  did  not  tell  them.  I  found  that  I  could  say 
little  to  them,  and  that  I  must  ask  the  Lord  Jesus  to 
stand  in  the  midst  of  us.  He  came  and  whispered 
peace.  After  singing  a  hymn  I  read  the  words, 
'Looking  unto  Jesus,'  and  many  seemed  to  realize 
that  he  was  with  us ;  their  eyes  were  not  holden. 
After  singing,  I  said  it  would  be  pleasant  to  have 
them  tell  of  their  joys  and  sorrows  in  the  Christian 


324         FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

life,  and  then  together  to  carry  them  to  Christ.  Hard- 
ly a  moment  passed  before  Khanee,  one  of  the  two 
little  girls  first  received  into  my  school,  spoke.  She 
had  recently  buried  her  only  child,  and  with  a  full 
heart  said,  raisino'  her  arms  as  if  still  holdino;  her 
little  one,  'Sisters,  four  months  ago,  you  saw  me  here 
with  my  babe  in  my  arms.  It  is  not  here  now.  I 
have  laid  it  into  Jesus'  arms.  I  have  come  to-day 
to  tell  you  that  there  is  a  sweet,  as  well  as  a  bitter,  in 
affliction.  When  the  rod  is  laid  upon  us  let  us  not 
only  kiss  it,  but  press  it  to  our  lips.  When  I  stood 
by  that  little  open  grave  I  said,  *  All  the  time  I  have 
given  to  my  babe  I  will  give  to  souls.  I  have  tried 
to  do  so  ;  pray  for  me  that  I  may  be  faithful.'  We 
had  all  followed  the  dear  sister  in  what  she  said,  and 
were  all  weeping.  I  could  only  say,  'Who  will 
pray?'  Sanum  (whose  children  were  poisoned), 
understanding  well  the  bereaved  mothers  feelings, 
knelt  at  once,  and  carried  us  to  the  Saviour,  who 
surely  wept  with  us.  I  can  never  forget  how  she 
prayed  for  bereaved  mothers,  nor  how  she  pleaded 
for  those  still  folding  their  little  ones  in  their  arms. 
As  we  followed  her  in  her  earnest  entreaties  there 
was  perfect  silence,  except  as  the  sweet  voice  of  her 
own  little  babe  seemed  sometimes  to  add  to  the  ten- 
derness of  the  petitions.  A  child  in  heaven  !  AVhat 
a  treasure  !  and  what  a  blessing  that  the  heart  may  be 
there  also  !  As  we  arose  w^e  saw  that  Nazloo,  who  had 
just  come  from  the  banks  of  Jordan,  had  a  word  for  us. 
It  was  this  :  'Sisters,  I  have  just  come  back  from  the 
grave's  brink.  I  am  here  to-day,  to  tell  you  that  it 
is  a  very  different  thing  to  be  a  Christian  in  this 
pleasant  school-room,  from  what  it  is  when  standing 


LAST   PRAYER-MEETING.  325 

with  oue  foot  in  the  grave.  Let  us  all  examine  and 
see  if  our  hopes  will  stand  in  the  hour  of  death.'  A 
tender  prayer  followed,  in  which  it  seemed  that  all 
must  join  in  the  petition  :     *  Search  us  and  try    us/ 

"The  next  to  speak  was  one  of  our  early  pupils. 
She  had  come  many  miles  that  day,  and  said  : '  Sisters, 
I  could  think  of  but  one  thing  all  the  way  this  morn- 
ing, ''  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give."  We  have 
certainly  received  freely,  have  we  given  anything? 
Can  we  not  do  something  for  souls?  I  am  afraid  the 
Lord  Jesus  is  not  pleased  with  us.'  They  were  then 
asked  if  they  were  ready  to  enter  into  direct  labors 
for  souls,  and  if  they  would  not  like  to  keep  the 
names  of  those  for  whom  they  should  labor,  and 
when  they  should  come  up  to  the  feast  of  the  Lord  in 
September,  bring  them  and  pray  over  them.  I  was 
not  with  them  in  September ;  but  the  first  letter  I 
opened  on  reaching  Boston,  in  December,  gladdened 
my  heart,  for  there  fell  from  it  some  thirty  lists  of 
names  that  had  been  brought  up  to  that  September 
communion,  and  for  whom  they  would  have  me  pray. 

"  We  spent  nearly  two  hours  in  this  prayer-meeting, 
and  each  moment  was  full  of  interest.  Twelve  or 
fourteen  of  the  girls  said  a  few  words,  and  more 
prayed.  Afterwards  we  all  went  to  our  large  dining- 
room,  where,  seated  on  the  floor,  they  partook  of  a 
single  meal,  with  *gladnei9s  and  singleness  of  heart.' 
I  then  told  them  that  I  had  made  arrano'ements  for 
them  all  to  have  'class  prayer-meetings'  if  they 
desired  it.  I  can  never  forget  the  pleasure  they 
manifested  when  this  was  announced.  All  retired 
to  rooms  designated,  and  soon  the  voice  of  prayer 
went  up  all  over  our  house,  and  there  was  a  sweet 


326  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOTE. 

and  affecting  fellowship  of  hearts  before  the  mercy- 
seat.  The  bell  rang  for  going  to  the  chapel,  but  it 
seemed  to  be  unheard,  and  I  was  obliged  to  say  to 
each  little  company,  *  The  Master  calleth  for  you.' 
As  we  moved  towards  the  chapel,  we  were  joined  by 
other  women,  and,  when  I  went  in,  I  took  each  by 
the  hand  and  gave  her  a  seat.  When  all  were  ar- 
ranged, I  took  my  seat  back  of  them.  At  a  glance 
I  could  see  the  number  of  seats  occupied,  and  found 
that  there  were  ninety-three  sisters  before  me.  Do 
you  wonder  that  my  heart  was  full  at  that  hour,  as  ] 
looked  at  so  many  sitting  with  us  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus?  There  was  but  a  single  one  of  the 
ninety-three,  with  whom  I  had  not  prayed,  and  who 
had  not  prayed  with  me.  There  were  more  men 
than  women  at  the  table.  Thirty  came  for  the  first 
time,  and  six  of  these  were  our  own  dear  pupils. 
As  they  took  the  covenant  we  all  stood  with  them ; 
and  there  seemed  a  deeper  meaning  than  ever  before 
in  being  '  forever  the  Lord's,'  and  there  was  a  reality 
in  meetin2r  Christ  at  his  table." 

It  was  cheering  to  Miss  Fiske  to  see,  during  those 
last  weeks  in  Persia,  such  precious  fruit  from  the 
seed  she  had  sown.  June  9th,  she  wrote  :  "Yester- 
day, four  of  our  former  pupiis,  with  their  husbands, 
left  us,  as  missionaries  to  the  dark  mountains  of 
Koordistan.  It  was  a  da^  of  deep  interest.  I  do 
thank  my  Father  for  allowing  me  to  live  to  see  my 
dear  children  thus  take  their  lives  in  their  hands  and 
go  forth  for  Christ's  sake." 

The  party  about  to  leave  the  missionary  field  for 
America  consisted,  besides  Miss  Fiske,  of  Dr.  Per- 
kins, Mrs,  Stoddard,  and  her  only  daughter,  and  two 


TAREWELL.  327 

daughters  of  Dr.  Wright.  The  day  fixed  for  their 
departure  was  the  15th  of  July,  aud  on  the  afternoon 
of  that  day  they  began  their  long  journey.  On  the 
17th,  Miss  Fiskc  wrote  to  her  mother  an  account  of 
the  parting  scene  :  — 

"  It  was  the  most  trying  day  to  my  feelings  that  I 
have  seen  in  Persia.     I  have  been  able  to  bear  triah, 
but  to  be   surrounded  by  loving,  weeping  friends, 
from  whom   I  was  literally  tearing  myself,  was  too 
much  for  me.     There  was  agony  of  soul  in  it,  and  it 
seemed  sometimes  as  though  the  flesh  could  not  bear 
it.      For  many  days  before    I  left,  our  house   was 
thronged  with  visitors.     My  loved  pupils  came  and 
sewed,  and  did  everything  they  could  to  aid  me  in 
my  preparations,  although  they  often  said,  'We  can- 
not sec  very  well,  the  tears  so  dim  our  eyes.'     On 
the  night  of  the  fourteenth,  more  than  thirty  were  with 
us,  and  they  continued  to  come  till  the  hour  of  our 
departure.     They  gathered  around  me,  and  I  gave 
them  last  words,  and  prayed  with  them,  as  well  as 
my  feelings  would  allow.     At  noon  our  whole  mis- 
sionary circle  met  at  Mr.  Coan's,  and  after  dinner  sang, 
'  Blest  be  the  tic  that  binds  ; '  read  the  one  hundred 
and  twenty-third  Psalm,   and  united  in  prayer.     It 
was  an  hour  of  deep  and  tender  feeling  for  those  who 
left,  and  for  those  who  remained.     From  Mr.  Coan's 
we  repaired  to  our  chapel  to  meet  our  native  friends, 
and  to  pray  with  them,  for,  perhaps,  the  last  time. 
Mr.  Rhea  conducted- the  devotions,  Mr,  Perkins  add- 
ing a  few  words.     The  great  congregation  followed 
us  to  our  house  to  bid  us  farewell  there.     This  scene 
over,   we  moved  away,  accompanied    by  scores  of 
friends." 


328  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

Outhe  morning  of  the  departure,  about  seventy  of 
Miss  Fiske's  pupils  gathered  about  her.  They  asked 
for  the  privilege  of  one  more  prayer-meeting  with 
her  in  her  room,  '  the  Bethel,'  as  they  called  it.  She 
told  them  that  she  could  not  lead  their  devotions. 
They  replied  that  she  need  not,  for  they  would  carry 
her  that  day,  and  she  found  it  good  to  be  carried  at 
that  hour  to  the  throne  of  grace  by  those  native  sis- 
ters. Six  prayers  were  offered,  all  tender  and  com- 
forting; .one  of  them  particularly  so;  and  left  so 
deep  an  impression  on  Miss  Fiske's  mind  that,  after 
leaving  them,  she  recalled  and  wrote  out  the  substance 
of  it  the  same  afternoon.  It  was  offered  by  one  of 
the  pupils  about  seveuteen  years  of  age  :  — 

"  She  first  prayed  for  themselves,  asking  that  when 
Elijah  should  go  up  they  might  all  see  the  horseman, 
and  the  chariot,  and  catch  the  falling  mantle,  and  not 
rtit  down  and  weep,  nor  send  into  the  mountains  to 
search  for  their  Master ;  but  arise,  and,  taking  the 
mantle,  go  smite  Jordan,  and,  passing  over,  go  to 
work.  She  then  reminded  the  Saviour  that  he  had 
promised  not  to  leave  them  comfortless,  and  entreated 
him  to  come  and  abide  with  them.  When  she  turned 
to  the  departing  company,  having  in  mind  the  heat 
of  the  day,  and  their  prospective  night  travelling, 
she  asked  that  the  sun  might  not  smite  them  by  day, 
nor  the  moon  by  night.  Thinking  of  the  narrow 
precipitous  roads,  she  prayed  the  Lord  to  give  his 
angels  charge  concerning  them,  to  bear  them  up  in 
their  hands,  that  they  might  not  dash  a  foot  against 
a  stone.  Kememberiug  the  streams,  she  asked  that 
when  they  passed  through  the  rivers,  the  waters  might 
not  overflow  them  ;  and  that  the  Lord  would  spread 


KEACHE3    CONSTANTINOPLE.  329' 

a  table  for  them  through  all  the  wilderness.  They 
were  to  sleep  iu  teuts  on  their  land  journey,  and  she 
entreated  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  might  ever  en- 
camp round  about  their  moving  tabernacle.  Know- 
ing that  they  would  go  a  short  distance  in  a  steamer, 
and  then  in  a  sailing-vessel,  she  prayed  that  when  on 
the  '  fire-ship '  the  flames  might  not  kindle  upon 
them  ;  and  that  when  on  the  'winged  ship,' where  the 
waters  would  go  up  to  heaven  and  down  to  hell,  they 
might  be  kept  in  their  Father's  hand,  and  brought  to 
their  desired  haven.  She  then  asked  that,  if  it  could 
be  the  Lord's  will,  all  her  teacher's  friends  miffht  be 
spared  till  she  should  reach  them,  especially  that  her 
aged  mother  might  live  to  see  her,  and  that  when  she 
folded  her  child  in  her  arms,  she  might  say,  like 
Simeon  of  old,  *  Now  lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart 
in  peace.'  The  closing  petition  was, '  May  our  teach- 
er's dust  never  mingle  with  a  father's,  nor  with  a 
mother's  dust ;  but  may  she  come  back  to  mingle  her 
dust  with  her  children's  dust,  hear  the  trumpet  with 
them,  and  with  them  go  up  to  meet  the  Lord,  and  be 
forever  with  him.' " 

Miss  Fiske  had  frequent  occasion,  in  the  course  of 
her  long  journey,  to  remember  this  prayer ;  and  she 
always  felt  comforted  and  encouraged  by  it. 

The  progress  of  the  party  was  slow.  Children 
and  invalids  could  not  travel  rapidly  over  rough 
roads  under  the  iutense  heat  of  a  Persian  sun  in  raid- 
summer.  They  reached  Trebizond,  the  terminus  of 
their  land  journey,  August  20th,  and,  after  resting  a 
few  days,  took  the  Turkish  steamer  "  Brandon  "  for 
Constantinople,  where  they  remained  till  September 
18th,  when  the  English  steamer  "  Africa  "  bore  them 


330  FAITH   WORKING    BY   LOVE. 

thence  to  Smyrna,  where,  after  eight  days,  they  em- 
barked in  the  "Andrew  Carney"  for  Boston. 

In  one  of  her  last  letters,  written  before  going  on 
board,  she  says  to  her  associate  teacher,  Miss  Rice  :  — 

"I  feel  to-night  as  though  I  should  love  to  fly  to 
our  parlor,  and,  sitting  down  by  your  side,  tell  you 
how  sadly  I  sometimes  feel.  It  is  not  best  for  me  to 
tell  any  one  all  that  I  feel.  I  do  so  dread  reaching 
Boston,  that  I  sometimes  think  I  shall  have  to  pass 
through  severe  trials  to  make  me  feel  just  right.  I 
dread  meeting  the  world  again.  Oh,  if  I  could  only 
fly  away  to  my  quiet  Shelburne  home  without  look- 
ing at  a  face,  how  glad  I  should  be  !  I  was  never 
made  to  meet  the  world.  I  cannot  do  anything  ac- 
ceptably, and  I  shrink  so  from  being  a  'gaziiig-stock. 
But  I  will  not  dwell  on  this;  it  does  no  good.  Let 
me,  rather,  seek  to  strengthen  you  for  your  labors, 
and  not  draw  upon  your  sympathies. 

"  I  must  now  say  farewell  to  Asia,  and  farewell  to 
the  dear  friends  here.  I  wish  I  had  lived  better,  and 
had  done  more  for  Christ  these  fifteen  years.  As  I 
look  back  on  ray  missionary  life,  filled  up  with  lov- 
ing kindness  and  tender  mercy  from  my  Father's 
hand,  oh,  how  I  loathe  myself  !  I  have  never  done 
what  I  might  for  the  poor  Nestorians ;  for  my  mis- 
sionary brothers  and  sisters  ;  for  the  children ;  for 
anybody.  It  is  a  great  thing  to  live  for  Christ 
alone." 

Of  the  -voyage  Dr.  Perkins  thus  speaks  :  — 

"It  was  eighty  days  in  duration,  and  in  roughness 
altogether  unparalleled  in  all  my  experience  of  sev- 
eral times  crossing  the  ocean.  During  the  whole 
month  of  November  we  made  not  a  foot  of  progress ; 


LETTER  TO  HER  SCHOOL  I\  OROOMIAH.    331 

not  beiug  becalmed  for  a  single  day,  but  tempest- 
tossed,  and  tempest-bound  in  the  middle  of  the  At- 
lantic Ocean,  and  often  in  gales  so  awful  that  the 
stoutest  heart  might  well  quail.  In  one  instance  in 
particular,  for  twenty-four  hours,  our  vessel,  without 
an  inch  of  canvas  spread,  lay  balancing  and  quivering 
on  its  side,  kept  so  under  the  simple  force  of  the 
tempest  on  its  bare  hull." 

The  following  extracts  are  from  a  journal-letter  to 
her  school  in  Oroomiah,  written  during  the  voyage  :  — 

"  October  12.  —  We  went  to  bed  last  night  as  usual, 
and  I  was  soon  asleep.  I  slept  till  after  two  o'clock, 
when  I  was  suddenly  waked  by  a  stream  of  water 
pouring  down  on  me.     I  got  out  of  my  box  as  soon 

as  I  could,  and  found  Miss  E -,  who  sleeps  in  a 

little  box  above  me,  quite  soaked.  It  was  raining 
very  hard,  and  the  water  had  collected  in  a  little  hoi 
low  place  in  the  roof,  and,  running  over,  had  come 
into  our  little  window,  though  it  was  shut,  and  after 
filling,  or  partly  filling,  the  first  box,  had  come  down 
on  me.  We  did  not  wish  to  waken  any  one  else,  so 
we  took  all  our  things  from  the  little  room  that  they 
might  not  get  wet,  changed  our  dripping  clothes, 
wrapped  our  shawls  about  us,  and  lay  down  on  some 
little  narrow  seats  in  the  cabin.  Before  we  got  quite 
arranged,  the  first  mate  came  in,  and  laughingly 
said,  'Are  you  going  ashore?'  I  replied,  'We  have 
been  washed  up,  and  have  come  on  shore.'  . 
I  do  not  know  how  many  yards  of  rope  there  are  to 
the  sails,  but  I  never  see  them  tangled.  All  are  kept 
in  order  and  beautifully  oiled.  It  would,  of  course, 
greatly  endanger  our  lives  if  everything  was  not  done 
well  on  the  ship ;  but,  perhaps,  by  neglecting  little 


332  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

daily  duties  we  do  more  harm  than  a  sailor  could  do 
by  pulling  the  wrong  rope.  I  love  to  reinembei  how 
much  pains  you  all  took  last  winter  to  do  well,  and  I 
trust  you  do  much  better  this  winter." 

'^  Novemher  1.  —  Since  last  writing  you  we  have 
had  a  very  angry  sea.  It  has  not  allowed  us  to  be 
quiet  by  day  or  night.  Our  chairs  walked  from  side 
to  side  so  much  that  we  had  to  put  them  all  away, 
and  sit  on  seats  screwed  down  to  the  floor.  Our  table 
is  fastened  down,  but  we  cannot  fasten  down  our 
dishes,  and  they  walk  about  in  a  wonderful  manner. 
Sometimes  a  dish  of  meat  empties  itself  on  to  one  of 
our  plates.  Again,  plates  come  over  into  our  laps, 
our  water  is  spilled  and  runs  over  the  cabin  in 
streams.  Yesterday  the  molasses-cup  came  over  to 
see  me  from  the  other  side  of  the  table,  and  emptied 
itself  at  my  side.  Do  you  understand  why  all  this  is? 
If  you  will  read  the  one  hundred  and  seventh  Psalm 
you  will  know." 

"8. — In  my  sleep  last  night  I  saw  you  all,  and  I 
thought  I  was  with  you.  You  were  all  so  good  and 
pleasant,  —  everything  made  me  glad.  I  arranged 
all  your  lessons  for  another  year,  and  saw  you  begin 
to  study  with  all  your  hearts.  I  prayed  with  you, 
and  my  heart  was  very  joyful.  When  we  had  finished, 
you  all  went  out  into  our  pleasant  yard,  and  you 
were  so  still  that  I  thou2rht  there  were  no  scholars  in 
the  wide  world  so  good  as  mine.  While  you  were  in 
the  yard,  I  had  my  little  boys  and  girls  of  the  Sab- 
bath school  come  in.  While  I  was  talking  with  them 
I  waked,  and,  lo  !  it  was  a  dream  I  But  it  was  a 
dream  I  love  to  remember,  and  it  moves  my  pen  to- 
day, though  old  ccean  remonstrates." 


LETTER   TO   MISS   RICE.  333 

The  following  extracts  are  from  a  journal-letter, 
written  during  the  voyage,  to  Miss  Rice  :  — 

"  Did  I  follow  my  feelings  I  should  be  writing  you 
half  the  time.  My  heart  will  be  with  you  in  all  your 
labors.  I  have  carried  you,  and  I  will  carry  you  to  the 
dear  Saviour.  It  is  sweet  to  leave  you  there,  and  to 
believe  that  he  will  make  all  grace  to  abound  toward 
you.  I  understand  something  of  your  cares  and 
anxieties,  but  Jesus  understands  them  far  better,  aud 
you  will  always  find  it  sweet  to  pillow  your  head  on 
his  compassionate  bosom.  Oh,  may  you  rest  there  ! 
He  wills  that  we  not  only  lie  on  his  bosom,  but  rest 
there." 

"20.  —  I  have  not  been  sea-sick  much  of  late,  and 
really  feel  very  well.  The  captain  says  I  weigh  fif- 
teen pounds  more  than  when  I  came  on  board.  I  do 
not  quite  believe  this ;  but  there  is  some  ground  for 
his  remark. 

"I  long  with  exceeding  longing  to  know  of  you 
and  of  our  dear  school.  Oh,  may  you  be  greatly 
blessed  this  year !  Spare  yourself  just  as  much  as 
you  can,  that  you  may  live  to  care  for  the  dear  chil- 
dren. When  I  was  in  Constantinople,  I  felt  more 
than  ever  that  it  is  a  great  blessing  to  have  had  many 
years  to  labor  for  the  same  interests.  I  pray  ear- 
nestly that  your  precious  life  may  be  spared ;  and,  if 
my  Father  can  so  delight  in  me  as  to  give  me  back  to 
labor  with  you,  I  will  love  him  for  his  very  tendei 
mercy." 

The  long  and  stormy  voyage  at  length  ended,  or 
Friday,  the  17th  of  December;  and,  about  sunset, 
Miss  Fiske  was  welcomed  to  the  hospitable  home  of 
kind  Christian  friends  in  Boston,  who  had  for  weeks 


334  FAITH    WORKING    BY    LOVE. 

been  anxiously  awaiting  her  arrival.  The  next  day 
she  went  to  Newburyport,  and  passed  the  Sabbath 
with  relatives  residing  there.  Some  difficulty  in  get- 
ting her  things  from  the  vessel,  together  with  the 
desire  of  the  senior  Secretary  of  the  Board  to  confer 
with  her  in  regard  to  the  affairs  of  the  mission,  de- 
tained her  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  for  a  Aveek. 
During  that  time  she  visited  also  the  friends  of  her 
associate,  Miss  Eice,  at  Lincoln.  On  the  24th  her 
eyes  again  greeted  her  native  hills,  mantled  with 
snow  as  when  she  last  looked  upon  them  at  the  same 
twilight  hour.  Mother  and  danghter,  after  a  separa- 
tion of  nearly  sixteen  years,  were  folded  in  each  oth- 
er's arms. 

Three  days  later  she  wrote:  "And  now  you  will 
ask,  'Are  3'ou  at  home?'  Yes,  I  am  'at  home '  with 
my  own  dear  mother  and  my  only  sister.  I  came  to 
Greenfield  on  Friday,  safely  and  easily.  There  I 
found  my  sister  and  her  husband,  and  other  friends. 
We  came  immediately  out  to  Shelburne,  and  were 
here  early  in  the  evening,  —  an  hour  earlier  than  my 
mother  expected  me.  Sister  allowed  me  to  go  to  her 
room  without  telling  her  that  I  had  come.  I  opened 
the  door  so  gently  that  she  did  not  notice  it.  She  was 
just  asking  some  one  in  the  room  to  move  something. 
I  said,  'Mother,  Fidelia  will  do  it.'  You  can  imas:- 
ine,  but  I  cannot  tell  you,  what  followed.  It  is  my 
mother,  but  she  is  more  changed  than  I  had  been  led 
to  suppose.  I  am  sure  you -will  feel,  when  you  see 
her,  that  she  must  soon  go  home.  If  I  ever  return  to 
Persia  I  shall,  doubtless,  be  spared  the  trial  of  leav- 
ing a  mother." 

The  same  day  she  wrote  Miss  Rice  :  "Yesterday  I 


^T   HOME   AGAIN.  335 

attended  church  all  day,  and  stood,  after  the  morning 
service,  a  Ions:  time  to  shake  hands,  and  exchansre  a 
few  words  with  old  friends.  The  old  people  all  came, 
and,  throwing  their  arms  around  my  neck,  wept  there. 
The  younger  ones  came  and  asked  me,  '  Can  you  re- 
member such  a  little  girl,  or  such  a  little  boy  ? '  I 
can  remember  many,  and  those  I  have  never  known  I 
feel  a  deep  interest  in,  they  meet  me  with  so  much 
tender  cordiality.  The  blessed  revival  of  last  spring 
has  made  Shelburne  a  delightful  place.  I  met  a  Bi- 
ble class  at  noon  by  special  request.  They  were  all 
pious  young  ladies,  most  of  them  mothers.  It  would 
have  done  you  good  to  see  how  they  listened  to  every 
word,  wiping  away  the  tears.  Several  other  Bible 
classes  came  for  me,  and  I  told  them  I  would  go  to 
them  in  turn." 


3^6  IFAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

JANUARY,    1859,  TO   DECEMBER,    1860. 


Letters  t*om  Neetorian  Pupils.  —  Letters  to  her  Nestorian  Pupils.  —  Visit 
to  Mv^unt  Holyoke  Seminary.  —  Visit  to  Oxford  and  Painesville  Semi- 
nariv Invited  to  give  Religious  Instruction  at  South  Hadley.  — Revi- 
val. -   Vuiiv  to  Montreal. 


We  are  now  to  contemplate  Miss  Fiske  in  a  new 
sphere  uf  Christian  activity.  But,  before  doing  so, 
let  us  take  a  further  glimpse  of  her  missionary  life 
through  a  few  of  the  many  letters  which  followed  her 
to  America  from  her  Nestorian  pupils. 

"  September  25,  1858. 

"  O  MY  BELOVED  MoTHER  !  —  I  begin  to  speak  to 
you  with  a  full  heart,  for  it  is  a  long  time  since  I 
have  talked  with  you.  My  heart  longs  to  tell  you  of 
the  change  in  our  beloved  school.  We  came  tosrether 
on  the  first  day  of  October.  Our  return  was  much 
like  that  of  the  Israelites  from  Babylon  to  Jerusalem. 
They  came  and  saw  their  city  laid  waste,  their  tem- 
ple in  ruins,  and  their  holy  things,  which  they  had 
loved,  scattered.  Every  time  they  looked  on  the  spot 
where  the  temple  had  stood,  their  hearts  were  crushed. 
So,  when  we  came  back  to  school  and  did  not  see  you, 
and  went  not  to  take  your  hand  nor  to  be  kissed  by 
you,  and  saw  not  your  ready  feet  coming  to  the  door 


LETTERS    FROM   NESTORIAN   PUPILS.  337 

to  briug  in  each  girl  and  make  her  happy ;  and  when 
we  went  into  tlie  school-room  and  saw  the  work  of 
your  hands,  our  hearts  were  broken,  and  we  could 
not  restrain  our  tears ;  and  especially  did  my  tears 
flow  when  I  remembered  the  times  that  we,  the  daugh- 
ters of  the  church,  used  to  assemble  in  your  room  to 
mingle  our  prayers,  our  tears,  and  our  joys  together. 
I  thought,  also,  of  the  time  when  you  used  to  throw 
your  arms  about  my  neclv  and  entreat  me,  with  tears, 
to  be  a  lovtr  of  the  Lord.  Oh,  how  do  these  re- 
membrances leave  an  achinor  void  which  cannot  be 
Elled  !  It  seems  to  me  that  the  ways  of  your  room 
mourn  because  you  come  not  to  our  solemn  feasts. 
Perhaps  you  will  say,  '  Oh,  it  is  not  so.'  But  I  think 
if  you  were  to  come  into  your  room  this  moment,  and 
see  the  curtains  fallen,  and  the  doors  and  windows 
closed,  you  would  say,  'It  is  true,  the  ways  do 
mourn.' 

"If  the  prophet  Jeremiah  were  here,  I  think  he 
would  say,  'How doth  Miss  Fiske's  room  sit  solitary, 
that  was  full  of  inhabitants  !  How  do  the  dauofh- 
ters,  the  virgins  of  the  Oroomiah  school,  mourn,  and 
their  eyes  run  down  with  water,  because  Miss  Fiske 
is  far  from  them  ! '  Our  school  has  always  been  such 
a  pleasant  place  to  me,  — I  have  been  so  happy  in  it, 
and  in  its  heavenly  employments,  that  not  even  the 
death  of  my  friends  could  take  away  that  joy.  But 
now  I  seem  surrounded  by  dark  clouds,  and,  some- 
times, to  be  sinking  in  the  deep  mire.  Yet  I  will 
try  to  say  in  all  this  trial,  'The  will  of  the  Lord  be 
done.' 

"  Give  my  love  to  my  blessed  grandmother. 
'Blessed   is   she   among   women,'   the   mother  of  a 

22 


338  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

daughter  of  whom  the  whole  Nestorian  nation  give 
testimony,  that  like  Deborah  she  is  a  mother  in 
Israel." 

"  Affectionately  yours, 

"  ElHatoon,  of  Geog  Tapa." 

"  Oroomiah,  April  7,  1859. 

"Dear  Mother  of  my  Soul,  Miss  Fiske  !  — 
Though  high  mountains  and  wild  oceans  separate  us, 
yet  your  love  and  kindness  are  ever  before  my  eyes, 
and  fill  my  soul  with  such  love  that  I  cannot  forget 
you.  I  can  never  forget  the  mother  who  has  takea 
so  much  pains,  and  eaten  so  much  trouble  for  me. 
How  I  remember  those  melting  seasons  when  you 
used  to  put  your  arms  around  my  neck,  and  talk 
with  me  about  my  soul,  and  tell  me  of  my  lost  state, 
and  how  Christ  poured  ont  his  blood,  and  humbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross,  for  my  sake  !  Especially  do  I  re- 
member how  you  used  to  speak  of  the  love,  the  meas- 
ure of  which  no  creature  can  reach,  which  saw  a 
remedy  in  its  own  blood.  At  that  time  I  did  not  un- 
derstand the  sacrifice  for  sin.  I  was  going  on  in  the 
road  to  destruction.  I  knew  nothing  of  everlasting 
life,  of  the  love  of  Christ,  and  of  the  forgiveness 
there  is  in  him.  But  you  pointed  me  to  the  cross ; 
you  showed  me  the  fountain  of  oiloam  where  all  may 
wash  and  see  ;  and  I  do  not  know  how  to  express  my 
gratitude  to  you.  The  more  I  think  of  your  labor 
for  me  and  your  love  to  me,  the  more  I  feel  that  I 
can  never  reach  to  its  greatness  or  its  bounds. 

"You  will  wish  to  know  of  your  loved  school. 
We  have  had  pleasant  times,  for  we  have  been  visited 


LETTERS  FROM  NESTOrIaN   PUPILS.  339 

from  above.  We  missed  you  greatly,  but  the  Teacher, 
who  is  better  thaii  any  earthly  teacher,  came  and 
taught  us  this  winter.  The  Lord  Jesus  has  been  the 
Gardener  of  our  school.  He  has  come  down  and 
watered  it  with  heavenly  rain. 

"Would  that  I  might  sit  by  your  side  again,  hear 
your  counsels,  and  look  in  your  face.  Receive  peace 
in  large  measure  from  my  father,  mother,  and  all  our 
friends. 

"  Your  loving  daughter, 

"  Selby  of  Wazerawa." 

"  Sabalan,  May,  1860. 

**  My  beloved  Mother  :  —  I  received  your  letter 
just  before  I  received  a  bitter  stroke  from  the  never- 
erring  hand  of  my  heavenly  Father.  Many  thanks 
for  your  loving  remembrances  of  me.  They  are 
abiding  tokens  of  your  true  motherhood.  I  have 
many  thoughts  of  you  and  of  those  blessed  days  we 
passed  together  in  that  blessed  school.  I  am  very 
sad  when  I  think  that  perhaps  I  may  never,  in  this 
house  of  my  pilgrimage,  see  your  face. 

"  Dear  mother,  I  have  much  to  write,  but  you  will 
excuse  me  from  it  because  of  my  great  weakness. 
Like  a  daughter  distressed,  who  would  find  a  little 
rest  by  falling  into  the  kind  arms  of  her  mother,  I 
come  to  tell  you  what  has  pierced  the  heart  of  your 
child.  Beloved,  you  used  to  write  me  that  I  must 
take  good  care  of  my  dear  and  tender  babe,  Awesha 
lom.  Perhaps  I  did  not  fully  do  as  you  told  me.  I 
am  not  sure  in  regard  to  it.  But  one  thing  I  know  : 
the  Lord  who  loves  little  children  was  not  willing  that 
I  should  keep  him.     And  I  believe  he  will  take  better 


340  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

care  of  my  dear  child  than  I  could.  You  must  know 
that  I  am  deeply  wounded  and  crushed  by  this  stroke. 
My  tears  cease  not.  His  first  birth  was  October  14th, 
1858  ;  his  second  and  spiritual  one,  April  23d,  1860. 
His  life  with  us  was  a  pleasant  one,  and  he  made  our 
lives  very  sweet  and  delightful ;  but  now  he  has 
gone  to  heaven,  while  we  remain  on  the  earth.  He 
lives  the  new  life,  while  we  die  daily.  He  is  strong, 
while  I  am  weak.  He  has  grown  beautiful  in  the 
light  and  image  of  our  Saviour,  while  I  am  pining 
away.  It  seems  sometimes  as  if  our  comforters  were 
far  from  us  ;  but  our  Saviour  stands  very  near  to  help 
and  to  comfort. 

"  Your  true  daughter, 

*'  HOSHEBO." 

As  the  absent  teacher  was  followed  by  such  ex- 
pressions of  tender  interest  from  her  loved  pupils,  so 
from  her  native  land  she  sent  back  to  them  words  of 
unabated  affection :  — 

"  Shelburne,  Jan.  27,  1859. 

"  My  OWN  DEAR  Girls  :  —  When  this  reaches  you 
it  will  be  spring,  and  oh,  how  I  should  delight  to  see 
you  in  your  pleasant  school-room  !  I  love  to  think 
that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  with  you,  and  that  souls  are 
turning  to  God.  I  am  glad  to  know  that  some  of 
you  talked  and  prayed  with  so  many  women  last  sum- 
mer. Continue  to  do  so,  and  pray  much  for  them 
alone.  You  will  never  be  sorry  for  any  labor  for 
Christ.  Thanks  for  all  the  letters  you  have  written 
me.  They  are  a  great  comfort  to  me,  and  I  love  to 
read  them  to  my  friends  ;  my  dear  mother,  especially, 


LETTERS   TO   NE3TORIAN   PUPILS.  341 

loves  to  have  me  sit  by  her  side  and  read  them  to 
her.  She  thinks  of  you  a  great  deal  and  prays  for 
you. 

'■  I  am  happy  in  seeing  my  friends,  but  not  happier 
than  when  with  you.  I  think  of  you  by  day  and  by 
night,  and  often  see  you  in  my  dreams,  and  try  to  do 
something  for  you.  The  Lord  bless  you  and  help 
you  all  to  live  near  to  him. 

"Your  affectionate  teacher, 

«F.  FiSKE." 

"  Shelbfrne,  Feb.  19,  1859. 

"  My  dear  Girls  :  —  I  have  received  the  names 
of  those  for  whom  you  labored,  and  with  whom  you 
prayed,  between  the  May  and  the  September  com- 
munion. They  were  given  to  me  the  evening  I  set 
foot  on  land.  It  did  me  good  to  receive  them,  and 
I  thanked  the  Lord  that  you  had  cared  for  so  many 
souls.  Have  you  seen  them  brought  to  Christ?  Will 
you  not  labor  for  them  till  you  see  them  loving  him, 
and  then  help  them  to  be  holy,  working  Christians? 

"As  you  meet  together  to-day,  perhaps  you  will  re- 
member the  last  communion  day  that  I  was  with  you. 
I  often  think  of  it,  and  of  all  my  dear  pupils,  who 
came  to  the  Lord's  table.  I  trust  that  you  grow  in 
grace  ;  that  3'^ou  live  nearer  and  nearer  to  God  from 
Aionth  to  month.  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  be  included 
in  Christ's  family.  Let  us  all  try  to  be  the  true  fol- 
lowers of  the  Holy  Jesus,  such  as  he  can  love  and 
allow  to  rest  on  his  bosom. 

"  My  mother  wishes  me  to  tell  you  that  she  loves 
you  as  her  own  children.  She  is  very  glad  to  see 
me,  and  wishes  me  to  be  close  by  her  side ;  but  says, 


342  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

*If  God  calls  you  to  go  to  Persia  again  I  must  not 
say  no.'  She  is  very  weak,  and  I  do  not  think  she 
will  live  to  see  me  go  away  again.  In  heaven  you 
will  know  her,  I  trust ;  and  there  I  hope  to  meet  you 
all,  if  I  do  not  on  earth.  But  I  do  hope  to  see  you 
in  Persia,  if  our  lives  are  spared.  Accept  much  love 
for  your  children,  fathers,  and  mothers,  and  all  your 
family  friends,  and  believe  me 

"Your  affectionate  teacher  and  friend, 

"  Fidelia  Fiske." 

After  resting  some  weeks  with  friends  in  her  native 
town.  Miss  Fiske  spent  a  few  days  at  Mount  Holyoke 
Seminary,  South  Hadlej*.  The  visit  was  one  of  deep 
interest  to  herself  and  to  others.  While  there,  she 
wrote  :  "  I  am  enjoying  my  visit  here  far  more  than  I 
supposed  possible.  Things  move  on  very  quietly, 
and  I  think  there  is  a  good  standard  of  scholarship 
maintained.  They  say  there  is  less  missionary  in- 
terest than  formerly.  This  may  be  so,  but  the  young 
ladies  certainly  gave  me  their  warm  sympathies. 
Their  eager  countenances  and  tearful  eyes  have  made 
me  quite  forget  my  early  determination  to  be  silent. 
I  have  met  the  whole  school  several  times,  and  I 
have  no  doubt  that  I  have  received  more  good  than  I 
have  imparted. 

"I  was  not  allowed  to  feel  myself  a  stranger  there, 
but  sat  down  just  as  I  used  to  do,  and  could  not  real- 
ize that  I  had  been  away  sixteen  long  years.  On 
going  to  my  room,  the  first  thing  that  met  my  eye 
was  dear  Miss  Lyon's  Bible  on  the  table.  Can  you 
imagine  my  feelings  as  I  again  took  the  precious  book 
in  my  hand?    Her  sofa,  chairs,  and  mirror  were  also 


INVITED   TO    GIVE    KELIGIOUS    INSTIiUCTIOxV.     343 

in  the  room,  and  were  recognized  at  once,  and  helped 
to  hallow  the  spot. 

"  The  first  hymn  sung  in  the  seminary  after  my  re- 
turn was  the  same  one  sung  when  I  was  leaving  in 
1843,  —  'Go,  ye  messenger  of  love.'" 

The  effect  of  this  visit  upon  the  young  ladies  was 
very  great.  Says  an  eye-witness,  "It  seemed  as 
though  the  whole  seminary  must  go  in  a  body  to  the 
heathen,  under  the  impulse  of  their  intensely  excited 
interest."  Another  says,  "Many  of  the  young  ladies 
had  never  seen  her  before ;  but  her  simple,  earnest 
words,  and  the  wonderful  magnetism  of  her  face, 
gained  their  hearts  at  once.  While  she  spoke,  her 
youthful  audience  seemed  moved  by  a  common  im- 
pulse, aud  more  than  one  was  heard  to  say,  'If  Miss 
Fiske  would  ask  me  to  become  a  Christian,  I  believe  1 
should  do  so.'  " 

A  second  visit  to  the  seminary  in  April  only  deep- 
ened the  interest  which  the  first  had  awakened. 

In  June  she  visited,  by  urgent  invitation,  the  semi- 
naries for  young  ladies  at  Oxford  and  Painesville, 
Ohio, — those  worthy  offshoots  of  Mount  Holyoke. 
The  daughters  of  the  West,  not  less  than  those  of  the 
East,  felt  the  strange  charm  of  her  presence  and  the 
power  of  her  words,  and  in  many  a  heart  was  kindled 
a  missionary  interest  which  never  died  out. 

The  trustees  and  teachers  of  Mount  Holyoke  Semi- 
nary were  very  desirous  of  securing  for  their  institu- 
tion the  services  of  Miss  Fiske.  She  was  invited  to 
act  as  a  kind  of  chaplain,  conducting  the  daily  devo- 
tional exercises  in  the  hall,  and  religious  meetings, 
and  in  a  general  way  caring  for  the  spiritual  interests 
of  the  seminary. 


344  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

Of  this  invitation  she  writes  to  her  associate,  Miss 
Rice  :  "  I  said  to  them  that  I  could  not  do  what  they 
desired  as  it  should  be  done,  and  that  I  was  not 
willing  to  attempt  it.  The  idea  pleases  my  mother 
very  much,  because  she  thinks  that  I  shall  be  near 
her,  and  shall  not  be  going  hither  and  thither.  She 
does  not,  of  course,  realize  that,  if  I  do  it,  I  shall  do 
it  as  a  barbarian.  I  write  you  this,  that  you  may 
know  how  to  pray  for  me." 

Again  she  wrote  to  the  same,  after  she  was  per- 
suaded to  reconsider  her  decision  :  "  I  felt  that  I  could 
not,  and  ought  not  to  give  religious  instruction  there  ; 
I  still  feel  so,  and  I  think  those  good  trustees  and 
teachers  are  greatly  mistaken  in  supposing  that  I  can. 
I  feel  that  all  that  I  have  said  about  missionaries  be- 
ing incapacitated  for  labor  at  home  is  true ;  and  I  am 
sure  that  I  can  never  expect  to  do  anything  more  in 
the  world,  unless  permitted  to  be  again  among  the 
Nestorians.  I  am  allowed  to  make  my  home  at  South 
Hadley  the  coming  winter,  or,  rather,  am  invited  to 
do  so.  I  shall  probably  avail  myself  of  this  invita- 
tion to  some  extent,  and  shall  thus  hope  to  get  some 
good  for  our  own  dear  school.  I  wish  to  know  more 
of  the  present  modes  of  teaching,  new  books,  etc." 

Having  thus,  with  characteristic  modesty,  accepted 
the  position,  she  entered  on  her  new  duties  in  Decem- 
ber. She  found  the  situation  a  delightful  one,  and 
the  spiritual  magnetism  of  her  presence  was  speedily 
felt  throughout  the  entire  school. 

She  soon  found  herself  in  that  revival  atmosphere 
which  she  loved  so  well  to  breathe,  whether  in  Persia 
or  America.  Writing  to  an  early  and  fast  friend  of 
the  seminary,  January  3d,  1860,  she  says:  — 


REVIVAL.  345 

**  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  with  us,  and  our  prayer 
is  that  he  may  not  be  grieved  away.  You  probably 
know  that  there  have  been  several  hopeful  conversions 
since  the  year  commenced.  Last  week  there  seemed 
to  be  an  increase  of  interest,  but  it  was  not  ffeneral. 
The  feeling  manifested  yesterday  was  such  that  I 
thought  it  best,  at  evening, to  invite  those  anxious  for 
their  souls  to  meet  in  the  north  wing  parlor.  Thirty- 
five  were  present.  Some  eight  or  ten  of  these,  we 
hope,  are  Ciiristians.  Others  seem  deeply  anxious, 
while  some  evidently  know  little  of  the  plague  of  their 
hearts.  The  meeting  was  a  deeply  solemn  one.  We 
are  encouraged  to  labor  and  pray ;  and  we  know 
there  are  many  who  pray  for  these  dear  3'oung  ladies. 
I  never  felt  more  the  importance  of  having  this  dear 
seminary  wholly  devoted  to  the  Lord.  It  was  early 
given  to  him.  It  cannot  be  taken  back.  The  last  few 
days  have  been  very  pleasant  to  me,  because  my 
leisure  hours  have  all  been  filled  with  conversiuof  and 
praying,  either  with  young  Christians,  or  with  those 
who  would  find  Jesus.  Oh,  it  is  good,  for  it  seems 
like  being  engaged  in  the  same  work  I  had  in  my 
Eastern  home ! 

"  Nothing  seems  to  interest  the  young  ladies  more 
than  to  hear  about  Miss  Lyon.  I  wish  that  a  part  of 
the  furniture  of  every  room  might  be  Miss  Lyon's 
memoir.  Can  it  not  be  so  ?  I  am  afraid  not  half  of 
the  pupils  read  it  now." 

To  the  same  she  again  writes,  March  2d  :  — 

"There  is  so  much  of  holy  interest  concentrated 
here,  that  those  who  early  loved  Holyoke  must  love 
it  ever.  It  does  me  a  gi'eat  deal  of  good  to  meet 
those  old  familiar  faces,  which  must  ever  be  associated 


346  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

with  the  remembrances  of  dear  Miss  Lyon.  There 
are  not  a  few,  I  am  sure,  who  thank  the  Lord  that, 
while  new  friends  have  been  raised  up,  there  are  those 
left  who  helped  lay  that  first  stone,  and  who  went 
down  with  Miss  Lyon  into  the  quarry  to  find  it,  and 
who,  with  her,  consecrated  it  to  the  Lord  with  many 
tears. 

'*  I  trust  you  will  never  wonder  that  your  life  is 
spared,  while  you  can  pray  for  Holyoke.  You  may 
do  more  for  it  on  the  bended  knee  than  active  hands 
and  feet  can  ever  do  in  its  service.  One  of  the  excellent 
missionary  fathers,  in  his  first  letter  to  me  after  reach- 
ing Oroomiah,  said,  'Always  be  ready  to  do  the  work, 
and  let  others  have  the  name  of  it.'  I  felt  as  though 
it  was  a  word  from  my  Saviour,  spoken  through  him, 
and  I  have  loved  to  dwell  on  it  all  these  long  years. 
If  we  can  only  have  the  privilege  of  doing  and  pray- 
ing, will  we  not  be  satisfied  ?  Now  that  I  am  away 
from  my  precious  children  it  is  doubly  sweet  to  pray, 
—  to  carry  them  and  lay  them  right  in  my  Father's 
arms.  He  loves  them  better  than  I  do.  He  planted 
the  vine  in  the  wilderness,  and  he  will  take  care  of 
it.  My  only  fear  is  that  I  shall  not  be  found  in  full 
sympathy  with  my  Saviour  in  all  his  designs  of  love 
towards  it.     .     .     . 

"  There  are  some  cases  of  deep  interest  in  our  fam- 
ily now.  The  Spirit  is  still  with  us,  but  we  long  to 
see  a  more  powerful  work  which  shall  bring  in  all. 
We  would  not,  however,  choose  the  particular  mode 
of  operation,  if  we  can  only  be  sure  that  God  is  with 
us,  and  that  his  work  will  not  cease  nor  be  retarded 
throusrh  our  neirliorence.  In  the  series  of  revivals 
which  I  was  privileged  to  share  in  Oroomiah,  God's 


DESIRE   TO   RETURN    TO   PERSIA.  347 

workings  were  varied.  If  I  looked  for  a  particular 
mode  of  blessing  it  always  came  in  some  other  way. 
There  were  seasons  when  all  seemed  to  bow  as  in  a 
day,  and  we  stood  still  to  behold  our  God  passing  by. 
There  were  other  years  when  the  work  of  conversion 
extended  over  months,  and  the  Lord  called  his  chil- 
dren to  do  much  in  leadinoc  and  ojuidinof." 

o  o  o 

In  February  she  went  to  Boston  to  be  present  at 
the  embarkation  of  a  band  of  missionaries  destined 
to  the  Nestorian  field.  Her  great  joy  at  their  depart- 
ure was  mingled  with  deep  regret  that  she  could  not 
accompany  them. 

In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  dated  May  23d,  speaking  of 
her  mother,  she  says  :  "  It  is  a  comfort  that  I  can  do 
some  of  the  last  things  for  her,  though  I  may  get 
home  first.  I  sometimes  long  to  fold  her  in  my  arms 
and  fly  away  to  Persia.  But  we  shall  both  have  a 
fairer  land,  and  stronger  arms  of  love  about  us  soon. 
I  will  leave  her  with  Him  who  loves  her.  If  I  could 
have  her  with  me  in  my  Eastern  home,  I  should  be  too 
free  from  earthly  care.  I  need  more  of  trial  than 
most  of  God's  children  do.  I  know  it  and  sorrow 
over  it,  but  still  I  keep  needing  it." 

Again  she  writes  :  "  I  have  been  happier  in  America 
than  I  supposed  it  possible  for  me  to  be,  but  this 
does  not  make  me  wish  to  linger  here  longer  than  is 
necessary.  I  shall  be  glad  to  be  back  in  Oroomiah 
in  my  Father's  good  time." 

And  again :  "  I  am  encouraged  to  believe  that  I 
may  safely  return  next  year.  There  now  seems  to  be 
no  hindrance,  if  I  can  leave  m}'^  mother.  In  regard  to 
this,  I  shall  try  to  know  my  Father's  will.  I  regret 
the   tendency  there  is  among  missionaries  to  come 


348  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

home,  and  stay  at  home.  It  does  harm  to  the  cause. 
If  I  am  told  not  to  go,  I  shall  try  to  be  satisfied,  but 
I  tell  you  just  what  I  feel,  when  I  say  that  no  place 
in  America  seems  as  desirable  to  me  as  to  be  again 
with  you." 

Of  her  Persian  school  she  writes :  "  As  I  look  at  it 
from  an  American  stand-point,  I  have  no  desire  to 
change  materially  the  plan  of  study.  Let  it  be  as 
much  Bible  as  ever,  and  we  will  try  to  have  all  the 
helps  to  the  study  of  it  that  we  can.  I  am  pained  to 
find  the  Bible  so  neglected  here." 

In  July  Miss  Fiske  had  the  pleasure  of  being  pres- 
ent at  the  embarkation  from  Boston  of  another  com- 
pany of  missionaries  for  Persia  ;  and  again  she  felt  it 
to  be  a  sore  trial  that  she  could  not  join  them.  Her 
parting  tears  were  tears  of  joy  that  they  were  going, 
and  tears  of  sorrow  that  she  must  be  left  behind. 

In  the  autumn  she  visited  Montreal,  Canada,  at  the 
invitation  of  friends,  who  had  become  deeply  inter- 
ested in  her  work  in  Persia.  One  object  of  the  visit 
was  to  meet  the  young  ladies  of  Miss  H.  W.  Ly- 
man's school.  The  interest  which  she  awakened, 
both  among  teachers  and  pupils,  found  expression  in 
valuable  gifts,  which  were  accompanied  with  the  as- 
surance that  the  donors  would  remember  her  stay 
among  them,  "  not  only  as  a  time  of  much  enjoyment, 
but  also  as  the  starting-point  of  a  higher  Christian 
life." 


VISIT  TO  NEW  YOBK.  349 


CHAPTER  XXrV. 

JANUARY,    1861,   TO   DECEMBER,  1862. 

Visit  to  New  York.  —  Parlor  Meetings.  — Letters  of  Sympathy.  —  Mission 
ary  Meetings  in  Maine.  —  The  War.  —  Commemorative  Anniversary  at 
Mount  Holyoke  Seminary.  —  Memorial  Volume.  —  "  Woman  and  her 
Saviour  in  Persia."  —  "  Recollections  of  Mary  Lyon." 

After  her  return  from  Montreal,  Miss  Fiske,  by 
special  request  of  the  trustees,  resumed  her  duties  at 
Mount  Holyoke,  and  remained  there  during  most  of 
the  seminary  year.  In  January  and  February,  the 
institution  was  again  visited  with  the  special  blessing 
of  Heaven,  and  her  hands  were  again  full  of  that  re- 
vival work  in  which  she  so  much  delighted.  Her 
room  was  often  thronged  by  those  who  sought  her 
counsel  and  prayers ;  and  some  fifty  or  sixty  of  the 
young  ladies  were  hopefully  converted  during  those 
few  weeks. 

In  April,  1861,  Miss  Fiske,  by  invitation  of 
ladies  interested  in  her  missionary  work,  spent  a 
short  time  in  the  city  of  New  York.  One  who  en- 
joyed the  privilege  of  listening  to  the  story  of  her 
labors  thus  writes  :  "  The  parlors  of  several  ladies  in 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  were  opened  to  her,  and 
filled  to  overflowing  with  attentive  and  delighted 
listeners.  In  some  cases  lecture-rooms  were  opened 
that  larger  numbers  might  come  within  the  sound  of 


350  FAITH  WORKING  BY   I.OVE. 

her  voice ;  and  whenever  Christian  friends  were  priv- 
ileged to  meet  her,  they  felt  a  new  bond  of  attach- 
ment to  the  mission  which  she  represented,  and  a 
profound  respect  and  love  for  one  who  had  been  so 
untiring  in  efforts  to  elevate  and  save  the  hitherto 
neglected  daughters  of  Persia.  The  opportunity  of 
an  acquaintance  witli  a  missionary  of  such  experi- 
ence, and  such  glowing  love  for  souls,  as  Mi.^s  Fiske 
manifested,  was  regarded,  by  many,  as  a  rich  privi- 
lege, and  the  impression  left  on  every  mind  was,  that 
God  had  chosen,  and  peculiarly  prepared,  her  for  this 
service." 

As  the  3^ear  at  South  Hadley  drew  to  a  close,  Miss 
Fiske  felt  a  degree  of  the  same  solicitude  for  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  pupils  about  to  leave  the 
yeminary,  which  she  so  often  felt  when  dismissing, 
for  vacation,  her  pupils  in  Persia. 

July  19th,  she  writes  to  a  friend:  "To-night  I 
meet  the  Christians;  Sabbath  evening,  those  who  are 
not  Christians ;  then  I  meet  them  twice  all  together ; 
and  then  turn  from  them.  There  is  something  so 
solemn  in  closing  up  labors,  —  in  leaving  the  last 
impress  !  How  could  we  do  this,  if  we  might  not 
afterwards  go  and  ask  our  Father  to  take  care  of  it? 
Is  it  not  comforting  to  fall  back  into  the  arms  of  our 
Eternal  Father?" 

Miss  Fiske  still  felt  herself  so  closely  bound  to  the 
members  of  the  missionary  circle  in  Persia,  that  she 
continued  to  "  bear  their  griefs,  and  carry  their  sor- 
rows," no  less  than  when  with  them.  To  the  bereaved 
mothers,  especially,  did  her  heart  turn  with  teuderest 
sympathies,  as  shown  by  the  following  letter  to  one 
of  them :  - 


LETTER   TO   A   MISSIONARY   SISTER.  351 

"Shblbukne,  August  2,  1861. 

"My  dear  Sister  :  —  I  have  heard  none  of  the  par- 
ticulars of  dear  Julia's  leaving  you  ;  but  to  know  that 
she  has  gone  makes  me  long  to  write  you.  I  feel 
afraid  to  speak,  or  to  write  you,  when  the  Lord  has 
come  so  near  you.  I  know  full  well  that  it  is  easy  to 
make  the  wound  still  deeper,  or,  rather,  to  open  it  all 
too  rudely.  I  would  not  do  this,  ray  precious  sister, 
for  my  heart  tenderly  sympathizes  with  you  in  the 
hour  of  sorrow.  We  had  asked  the  Saviour,  who 
loves  you  so  tenderly,  if  he  would  not  allow  you  to 
retain  dear  Julia  a  little  lousier.  We  had  thousrht 
that  3'our  dear  Edward  and  Lillie  might  be  all  that 
you  would  need  to  give  for  the  infant  choir  of  heaven 
for  the  present.  But  there  was  surely  a  want  in  that 
band  that  none  but  Julia  could  fill.  She  was  not 
taken  till  He,  who  knovvs  every  little  child,  had 
looked  over  all,  and  seen  that  no  other  could  fill  just 
her  place  among  those  little  ones.  She  surely  lives ; 
she  is  with  Christ,  and  has  her  work.  Yours  has  been 
a  precious  privilege  to  watch  her  for  more  than  five 
years,  and  to  lead  her  to  love  the  Saviour.  She  is  in 
his  arms  now.  There  is  no  mistake  in  this ;  and  I 
feel,  my  sister,  as  though  you  were  a  great  deal  nearer 
to  heaven  than  those  who  have  no  little  ones  there. 
I  know  that  you  can  be  happy  in  what  God  has  done  ; 
and  are  you  not  thankful  that  you  may  weep  unre- 
buked  by  Jesus?  How  thankful  I  should  have  felt 
to  be  with  you  at  the  time  of  your  giving  dear  Julia 
to  the  Lord  again  !  Pleasant,  very  pleasant,  are  my 
memories  of  the  angcl-child,  and  it  would  be  a  com- 
fort to  me  to  have  seen  her  last  look  on  earth,  and  to 
have  done  for  her  some  of  those  last  things.     The 


352  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

Lord   comfort  you,  my  dear  sister.     Does  he  not 
abide  with  you? 

"In  tenderest  love  and  sympathy,  your  sister, 

"JFlDELIA  FlSKE." 

A  few  months  later  another  and  deeper  sorrow 
came  upon  this  stricken  missionary-sister,  which 
called  forth  another,  and,  if  possible,  tenderer  letter 
of  sympathy.  We  anticipate  and  give  it  in  this 
place :  — 

"South  Hadlet,  Feb.  8,  1862. 

"My  dear,  dear  Sister:  —  You  are  in  my  heart 
continually,  and  tenderly  do  I  bear  you  and  the  dear 
children  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  How  much  I  thought  of 
you  all,  during  that  week  of  Mr.  B.'s  death  !  I  had 
an  unusual  longing  to  be  with  you  ;  and,  had  I  known 
what  was  passing,  I  should  have  desired  it  still  more. 
"VVe  thank  the  Lord  that  he  comforts  you  in  this  hour 
of  trial ;  but  we  do  not  forget  that  great  comforts  are 
only  given  where  there  has  been  deep  s«)rrow.  I 
know  that  your  soul  has  been,  as  it  were,  riven,  and 
that  you  can  never  go  back  to  the  plaoe  where  you 
stood  three  months  ago.  You  must  ever  walk  in  such 
a  shadow  as  had  not  before  fallen  upon  you.  It  can 
never  be  lifted  from  you  till  all  shadows  flee  away ; 
but  there  is  a  loving  voice  that  you  will  hear  more 
distinctly  than  heretofore,  and  there  is  a  hand  that 
will  not  fail  to  lead  you.  I  know  that,  in  your  deep 
sorrow,  you  find  much  for  which  to  thank  the  Lord . 
You  must  thank  the  Lord  that  your  dear  husband  was 
spared  to  you  so  long ;  that  you  had  a  happy  home 
with  him  so  many  long  years  ;  that  you  had  his  help 
in  the  divine  life  through  such  a  portion  of  your  pil- 


MISSIONARY    MEETINGS    IN   MAINE.  353 

grimage.  You  are  grateful,  too,  that  he  comforted  so 
many  others,  and  that  then  He  who  loved  him  best 
took  him,  and  glorified  himself  in  his  death." 

The  interest  which  Miss  Fiske's  "parlor  talks" 
awakened  caused  invitations  to  pour  in  upon  her  from 
every  direction,  many  of  which  she  accepted ;  and  in 
some  cases  her  "talks"  became  almost  public  lec- 
tures, being  held  in  the  church  instead  of  the  parlor. 
In  regard  to  speaking  to  ladies,  of  her  missionary 
work  in  Persia,  she  says  :  "]  have  often  done  it,  and  I 
am  willing  to  do  it,  when  judicious  friends  feel  that  it 
is  best.  I  have  been  accustomed  to  speaking  in  my 
school,  so  that  it  is  easy  for  me  to  do  it,  in  my  own 
informal  way.  I  sometimes  meet  ladies  several  times 
in  a  week,  and  am  able  to  do  this  because  I  do  it  so 
informally.  In  a  few  instances  gentlemen  have  come 
in  with  ladies,  but  not  by  my  arrangement.  I  love 
to  tell  Christian  friends  of  what  the  Lord  has  done  for 
our  dear  Nestorians ;  but  I  shrink  from  everythiug 
that  would  give  an  impression  that  I  am  a  lecturer." 

In  October,  1861,  she  accepted  the  invitation  of 
Rev.  W.  Warren,  one  of  the  District  Secretaries  of 
the  American  Board,  to  visit  Maine,  and  hold  a  series 
of  meetings  under  his  direction  in  several  of  the  prin- 
cipal cities  and  towns  of  that  State.  Of  this  visit, 
Mr.  Warren  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  ac- 
count :  — 

"  Miss  Fiske  came  to  Maine  at  my  request,  partly 
for  the  benefit  of  the  journey  and  change,  and  partly 
to  address  the  mothers  and  children  in  my  district. 
Her  coming  was  as  an  angel's  visit  to  us.  It  was  just 
after  the  decease  of  a  beloved  daughter,  and  at  the 

23 


354  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

time  when  my  eldest  sons,  since  goue,  were  sinking 
in  a  decline.  She  exactly  appreciated  our  case,  and 
was  truly  a  daughter  of  consolation  to  us.  'In  all  our 
afflictions  she  was  afflicted.'  I  never  knew  one  better 
fitted  to  impart  sympathy  and  comfort  to  the  tried. 
Her  quick  insight  into  the  sensibilities  of  others 
helped  her  to  measure  accurately  their  griefs.  Her 
nature  was  disinterested  and  responsive ;  the  action 
of  her  mind  intuitive.  She  knew  when  to  speak,  and 
what  to  say,  and  how  to  say  it.  She  brought  you 
very  near  to  the  Saviour's  heart,  or  brought  the  Sav- 
iour's heart  very  near  to  you.  She  was  in  no  sense  a 
stranger  in  the  family,  but  was  as  one  of  us.  She 
chose  to  be  her  own  servant,  and  declined  attentions 
that  cost  others  the  least  inconvenience. 

"Her  Christian  cheerfulness  was  remarkable.  She 
was  trustful  and  hopeful.  The  night  was  never  so 
dark,  but  she  could  see  a  star ;  the  way  never  so 
hedged  up  or  crowded,  but  she  could  find  a  path. 
Her  smile  was  an  inspiration  ;  a  sweet  welcome  of  the 
gospel ;  an  imprint  of  pure  love.  If  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  making  religion  attractive  to  the  impenitent, 
she  had  the  art  of  doing  it.  Who  could  but  be  happy 
in  her  society,  or  delighted  with  her  conversation,  and 
charmed  by  her  influence  and  presence? 

"Miss  Fiske  addressed  fifteen  audiences  in  Maine. 
She  was  naturally  diffident ;  and  it  was  often  a  severe 
trial  for  her  to  appear  in  public.  An  appointment 
was  made  for  her  in  Portland  ;  but  it  was  very  diffi- 
cult for  her  to  bring  her  mind  to  meet  such  a  responsi- 
bility, and  she  spent  a  part  of  the  night  previous  in 
prayer,  as  a  preparation  for  the  service. 

"  She  declined  to  address  mixed  assemblies.     Her 


MISSIONARY   MEETINGS   IN   MAINE.  355 

Christian  modesty  shrank  from  it.  It  was  contrary 
to  the  refined  instincts  and  sensibilities  of  her  nature. 
She  was  a  representative  woman  in  this  regard ;  a 
model  of  Christian  propriety  as  touching  things  doubt- 
ful. In  one  or  two  instances,  however,  the  notice  of 
her  lecture  had  been  liberalized  somewhat  by  the  pas- 
tors, so  that  stalwart  men,  with  their  wives  and  chil- 
dren, had  ventured  to  take  possession  of  their  pews. 
She  recoiled  from  the  task  of  encountering  such  a 
presence.  I  told  her  to  ignore  the  men,  and  not  to 
regard  them  as  present,  for  they  were  contraband,  in 
the  circumstances  !  I  also  told  the  gentlemen  that 
they  must  not  regard  themselves  as  present;  and, 
while  they  had  a  right  to  sit  in  their  pews,  they 
would  not  be  regarded  as  listening,  as  the  lady 
present  did  not  address  gentlemen  publicly.  They 
nodded  assent,  and  seemed  to  say,  'That  is  all  we 
want ! '  In  one  case,  she  began  her  lecture  by 
speaking  to  a  mother  in  the  audience  who  had  brought 
her  little  babe  with  her  :  'I  am  glad  to  see  that  mother 
here ;  and  I  am  glad  she  has  brought  her  baby  with 
her.  It  will  not  disturb  me  in  the  least,  even  if  it 
cries.  The  Nestorian  mothers  used  to  brinsj  their 
babies  to  meeting,  and  this  mother  is  here,  no  doubt, 
because  she  feels  an  interest  in  the  poor  mothers  in 
Persia.'  By  this  time  the  stout-hearted  men,  even 
though  not  permitted  to  listen,  were  feeling  for  their 
handkerchiefs  to  remove  their  tears. 

"In  another  place,  where  several  men  of  distinction 
had  gotten  into  the  assembly,  one  of  them  said  to  me 
at  the  close,  'What  does  this  mean?  Why  did  you 
not  let  us  know  about  this?  I  should  have  taken/bwr 
pocket-handkerchiefs  with  me  if  I  had  dreamed  of 


356  FAITH    WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

her  power.  I  saw,  indeed,  that  his  one  handker- 
chief was  ruined  before  the  lecture  was  half  through; 
and  no  artist  could  have  recognized  his  face,  though 
he  himself  was  a  dignified  D.  D. 

"I  will  not  trust  myself  to  give  a  description  of  the 
power  of  her  'talks,'  as  she  termed  them.  They  took 
the  assembly  at  once  into  captivity.  The  interest 
ran  from  the  little  child  up  to  the  strongest,  stoutest 
intellect.  Her  discourses  were  a  vision  of  what  she 
described.  She  translated  you  at  once  to  the  scene 
of  her  delineations.  Call  this  art,  if  you  will ; 
genius,  eloquence,  — but  there  was  something  higher 
and  purer,  which  art  and  eloquence  cannot  reach. 
The  whole  was  irradiated  by  the  spiritual ;  a  moral 
splendor  sat  upon  the  scenes  of  her  descriptions,  and 
upon  her  lighted,  radiant  countenance  meanwhile." 

Miss  Fiske  was  by  no  means  indifferent  to  the  fear- 
ful civil  war  which  was  shaking  the  whole  country, 
and  in  which  was  involved  not  only  our  existence  as 
a  nation,  but  the  stability  of  republican  institutions. 
But  she  looked  upon  it  not  simply  with  the  eye  of  a 
patriot,  but  with  the  eye  of  a  Christian,  and  of  a 
Christian  missionary.  To  her  associate  teacher  at 
Oroomiah  she  writes  :  — 

*'  Fehruarij  22,  1862.  — I  should  be  so  glad  if  you 
could  have  our  telegraphic  despatches ;  but  I  trust 
you  have  better  ones,  even  from  heaven.  There  are 
joy  and  sorrow  too,  in  our  nation.  I  realize  more 
and  more  what  the  struggle  is  costing.  It  costs 
money,  and  it  costs  the  deepest  affections  of  the 
heart.  When  it  is  over,  will  not  Christiana  know 
better  how  to  give  of  their  treasures  to  the  Lord,  and 


COMMEMORATIVE    ANNIVERSARY.  357 

their  sons  and  their  daughters  to  the  holy  warfare? 
But  the  end  is  not  yet." 

Again  she  writes :  "  The  awful  scenes  in  our 
country  are  enough  to  make  us  feel  that  we  must  be 
hidden  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  I  sym- 
pathize with  the  general  principles  held  at  the  North ; 
but,  oh,  this  glorying,  this  boasting,  this  forgetting 
of  God  I  He  will  punish  for  this.  We  cannot  pros- 
per till  we  are  humbled.  .  It  is  North  and  South  to- 
ojether  that  must  bow.  The  feelinor  and  the  strusrffle 
now  are  desperate." 

To  a  friend  in  Montreal  she  writes:  "I  suppose 
you  still  feel  a  deep  interest  in  all  that  is  passing  in 
the  States.  Shall  we  come  forth  from  this  struo:o:le  a 
better  people?  Shall  we  be  '  pure  and  then  peace- 
able'? Shall  we  be  better  soldiers  of  the  cross?  I 
can  never  speak  of  our  country's  welfare  here  with- 
out bringing  tears  to  many  eyes.  It  is  heart  work, 
as  well  as  work  of  the  hands,  to  which  we  are  called. 
The  young  ladies  have  just  sent  off  a  valuable  box  for 
the  soldiers.  A  text  of  Scripture  upon  a  card  was 
put  upon  each  article.  We  did  this  last  summer,  and 
have  had  some  very  pleasant  returns  from  those 
texts." 

It  was  proposed  to  celebrate,  this  year,  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  the  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  by 
a  reunion  of  all  the  graduates  and  early  friends  of 
the  seminar}^  and  by  a  commemorative  address.  The 
preparation  for  that  anniversary  involved  a  vast 
amount  of  correspondence  and  other  labor,  into  which 
Miss  Fiske  entered  with  her  characteristic  zeal  and 
efficiency ;  contributing  in  no  small  measure  to  the 
success  with  which  everything  passed  off  on  that  in- 


358  FAITH   WORKING    BT   LOVE. 

teresting  and  pleasant  occasion  ;  and  others  perhapa 
thought,  what  one  clergyman  expressed,  when  he  said 
that  he  believed  she  was  "  brousrht  home  to  arransfe 
for  that  celebration,  if  for  no  other  reason." 

After  the  anniversary,  it  w\as  thought  desirable  to 
have  some  permanent  record  of  the  exercises  of  an 
occasion  so  full  of  sacred  interest  to  the  pupils  and 
friends  of  the  institution,  and  MissF:ske  was  charged 
with  the  duty  of  collecting  and  arranging  for  the 
press  the  materials  for  such  a  record.  The  result 
was  the  publication  of  a  volume,  entitled,  "Memorial. 
Twenty-Fifth  Anniversary  of  the  Mount  Holyoke 
Female  Seminary." 

While  thus  occupied  with  labors  connected  with 
that  commemorative  anniversary,  her  hands  were  full 
of  other  work  which  made  a  large  demand  upon  her 
time  and  strength.  Many  persons  who  had  listened 
to  the  story  of  her  missionary  life,  and  of  the  won- 
derful work  of  fjrace  wrouorht  amousr  the  women  of 
Persia,  had  often  urged  her  to  prepare  the  same  for 
the  press.  She,  however,  instinctively  shrank  from 
such  an  undertaking ;  but  at  length  so  far  yielded  as 
to  consent  to  furnish  the  material  for  such  a  volume, 
if  the  right  person  could  be  found  willing  to  digest 
and  prepare  it  for  publication.  The  right  person  was 
soon  fomid  in  Rev.  T.  Laurie,  of  West  Roxbury,  who 
very  kindly  offered  to  render  the  desire  1  service; 
and  the  friends  of  missions  were  laid  under  great  ob- 
ligations to  him  for  the  publication  of  that  most  ex- 
cellent and  useful  volume,  "  Woman  and  her  Saviour 
in  Persia." 

"I  feel  that  God  has  sent  him  to  do  it,"  writes  Miss 
Fiske.     "It  is  a  great  relief  to  me  to  feel  that  the 


**  EECOLLECTIONS   OF  MARY   LYON."  359 

responsibility  is  another's.  He  will  do  it  a  great  deal 
better  than  I  could.  I  should  have  made  a  book  all 
self:' 

While  thus  busily  at  work  upon  two  volumes  the 
design  of  a  third  began  to  take  definite  shape  in  her 
mind.  In  preparing  for  the  commemorative  anniver- 
sary, she  was  led  to  collect  many  notes  of  Miss 
Lyon's  religious  instructions  to  her  pupils.  Her  first 
plan  was  to  include  some  of  these  in  the  "Memorial ;  " 
but  afterwards  it  was  thought  best  to  publish  them  in 
a  separate  volume,  and  to  connect  with  them  some 
new  and  interesting  incidents  in  Miss  Lyon's  life, 
which  had  come  to  light.  The  materials  accumulated 
as  she  proceeded  with  the  work,  and  it  was  left  un- 
finished at  her  death,  having  been  committed  by  her 
to  the  hands  of  a  dear  friend  and  former  missionary 
associate,  by  whom  it  was  subsequently  completed, 
and  given  to  the  public  as  "  Recollections  of  Mary 
Lyon."  When  considering  what  was  the  best  use  to 
be  made  of  the  materials  which  she  had  collected,  she 
wrote  to  a  friend  :  "  I  do  not  want  to  write  a  memoir ; 
and  I  do  not  want  anybody  to  write  another  memoir 
of  Miss  Lyon  ;  but  I  do  want  some  of  these  things 
to  do  good  in  the  world.  I  think  very  highly  of 
Mrs.  Cowle's  memoir  of  Miss  Lyon.  Every  time  I 
read  it,  I  value  it  more  and  more." 

The  "Recollections"  are  not  a  new  memoir,  but 
they  give  some  new  lights  and  shades  to  the  excellent 
portrait  which  other  hands  had  drawn  of  that  wonder- 
ful woman. 


360  FAITH  WORKINa  BY  LOVE. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


1863. 


Inrited  to  be  Prinoipal  of  Mount  Holjoke  SemiDary.  — Invited  to  assist  at 
MoLean  Asylum.  — Letter  to  Miss  Jessap. 

Dr.  Wright,  of  the  Nestorian  Mission,  being  in 
this  country,  and  expecting  to  return  to  Persia  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  this  j'^ear,  1863,  it  was  the  confi- 
dent hope  of  Miss  Fiske  that  she  should  accompany 
him.  Her  aged  mother  was  comfortable  ;  her  invalid 
sister's  health  was  improving,  and  it  seemed  to  her 
that  the  Lord  was  at  length  opening  the  way  for  her 
to  go  back  to  her  loved  missionary  work.  She  laid 
all  her  plans  accordingly;  made  many  purchases  for 
her  outfit ;  and  wrote  to  her  friends  in  Oroomiah 
that  she  hoped  to  keep  Thanksgiving  with  them. 

It  soon,  however,  became  evident  that  Dr.  Wright, 
who  was  superintending  the  printing  of  the  New 
Testament  in  Syriac,  would  not  complete  his  labors 
in  season  to  leave  the  country  till  the  next  spring. 
When  informed  of  this.  Miss  Fiske  wrote,  "I  was 
more  disappointed  than  I  supposed  I  should  be ;  still 
I  am  happy  in  what  the  Lord  directs.  If  he  keeps 
me  here  a  few  months  longer,  I  have  only  to  ask  that 
he  will  use  me  in  his  service." 

Her  detention  in  this  country  led  the  trustees  of 
Holyoke  Seminary  to  inquire  whether  it  were  not  a 


INVITED   TO   BE    PRINCIPAL   AT   MT.    HOLYOKE.  361 

providential  indication  that  she  should  be  perma- 
nently connected  with  that  institution.  She  had 
before  been  repeatedly  solicited  to  take  the  posi- 
tion of  Principal,  or  of  Associate  Principal  there; 
but  her  reply  had  uniformly  been,  "  Persia  !  "  The 
matter  was  now  more  formally  brought  before  her, 
and  she  was  urged  to  take  the  position,  for  at  least 
one  year,  if  not  permanently  ;  and  to  allow  her  name 
to  appear  on  the  catalogue.  She  heard  all  the  argu- 
ments in  favor  of  such  a  course ;  but  her  purpose  re- 
mained unchanged.  Alluding  to  the  subject  in  a 
letter  to  Dr.  Wright,  she  says  :  "  I  am  afraid  to  con- 
sider any  question  of  this  kind,  unless  it  is  certain 
that  I  cannot  go  back  to  Persia.  I  do  not  think  so 
much  of  what  I  can  reasonably  expect  to  do  there,  as 
of  giving  up  the  work.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  is 
much  in  abiding  in  our  ivork,  even  if  we  can  do  but 
little.  I  think  of  the  influence  upon  others ;  and 
more,  I  trust,  of  what  my  heavenly  Father  desires. 
My  four  years  in  America  have  been  very  pleasant, 
and  I  should  <ro  back  with  the  feelinar  that  there  is 
before  me  more  of  self-denial  and  trial  than  I  should 
be  likely  to  meet  here  ;  but  I  am  afraid  it  would  not 
be  right  to  stay  here ;  and,  if  not  right,  I  could  not 
be  happy  in  staying.  This  is  what  I  have  said  to 
these  proposals,  and  I  do  not  feel  satisfied  with  any 
other  view.  If  I  am  wrong,  I  trust  I  shall  be  set 
right." 

To  Miss  Rice  she  wrote,  in  reply  to  expressed  ap- 
prehensions lest  she  might  be  induced  to  remain  in 
America  :  ''  It  is  not  strange  that  some  of  you  feel  as 
though  I  never  should  go  to  Oroomiah.  I  may  never 
go,  but  if  so,  it  will  not  be  because  I  think  the  work 


362  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

at  home  more  important,  nor  because  I  am  not  ready, 
and  glad,  again  to  find  my  work  where  I  have  felt  it  a 
privilege  to  labor.  We  will  ask  that  the  Lord's  will 
may  be  done." 

The  Trustees  of  Mt.  Holyoke,  being  every  year 
more  and  more  convinced  that  Miss  Fiske's  services 
at  the  seminary  were  invaluable,  and  that  she  was 
really  doing  as  much  there  for  the  cause  of  missions 
as  she  could  do  in  Persia,  were  very  reluctant  to  ac- 
quiesce in  her  decision.  One  of  them  said  to  her, 
"I  have  done  talking  with  you,  but  I  shall  continue 
to  talk  with  the  Lord  about  it." 

She  was  glad  when  the  question  was  definitely  set- 
tled. "It  is  an  inexpressible  relief  to  rae,"  she 
writes,  "  to  have  the  subject  of  a  change  in  my  rela- 
tions here  given  up.  I  will  do  anything  I  can  to  stay 
up  Miss  Chapin's  hands,  and  comfort  her  heart ;  but 
I  do  believe  I  can  better  do  this  by  keeping  just 
where  I  am ;  and  my  missionary  friends  will  be  far 
happier  to  feel  that  I  am  doing  nothing  to  cut  myself 
ofi"  from  them.  I  have  assured  them  that  there  is  no 
change  in  me ;  that  I  am  only  resting  here,  waiting 
for  my  Father's  leading ;  and  he  will  lead  and  guide 
me,  for  he  knows  that,  — 

"  Oft  in  my  quiet  resting-place, 
I  bush  my  hastened  breath, 
To  hear  the  blessed  guiding  words, 
His  loving  Spirit  saith." 

Other  attempts  were  made  to  induce  Miss  Fiske  to 
remain  in  her  native  land.  It  was  proposed  by  a 
friend,  who  appreciated  her  rare  qualities,  to  open  a 
school  for  young  ladies  in  Boston,  to  be  under  her 


VISITS    TO   INSANE    ASYLUMS.  363 

care,  and  to  be  of  that  high  literary  and  religioua 
character,  which,  it  was  believed,  she,  better  than  al- 
most any  one  else,  could  give  it.  Gladly  as  she  would 
have  accepted  the  proposal  under  other  circumstances, 
her  convictions  of  duty  in  regard  to  the  missionary 
work  forbade  her  doing  so. 

Having  occasion  to  visit  a  friend  in  the  McLean 
Asylum,  at  Somerville,  her  kind,  sympathetic  nature 
so  won  the  hearts  of  the  unfortunate  inmates,  and  so 
drew  them  about  her,  as  interested  listeners,  that 
the  superintending  physician,  deeply  impressed  with 
her  power  over  them,  was  very  desirous  that  she 
might  have  some  connection  with  the  Institution.  "  I 
was  surprised  a  few  weeks  since,"  she  writes,  "by  a 
call  from  Dr.  T ,  and  an  invitation  to  connect  my- 
self with  the  asylum,  in  caring  for  the  suffering  ones. 
I  told  him  I  was  not  at  liberty  to  do  any  such  thing 
while  there  was  any  prospect  of  my  return  to  Oroo- 
miah ;  and  more,  that  I  did  not  think  my  health 
suflScient  for  it.  My  sympathy  for  the  class  gathered 
there  might  lead  me  to  such  a  connection,  were  there 
not  reasons  against  it." 

In  September,  1859,  Miss Fiske  visited  the  Asylum 
for  the  Insane  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  and  there,  too,  her 
kind  and  sympathizing  manner  drew  the  unfortunate 
inmates  confidingly  towards  her.  She  says  :  "  In  one 
of  the  wards  they  insisted  on  my  sitting  down  with 
them,  kissed  me,  and  begged  me  to  stay,  saying, 
*  How  glad  we  are  to  see  Miss  Dix  ! '  I  wished  that  I 
could  comfort  them  as  she  had  done  in  her  visits.  You 
know  how  much  I  feel  for  this  class,  and  they  read 
my  feelings.  *  God  bless  you  ! '  were  their  parting 
words." 


364  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

In  October  she  writes  from  South  Hadley  :  "  We 
have  about  three  hundred  and  forty  pupils,  and  you 
can  conceive  that  this  brings  a  very  great  pressure 
upon  the  teachers.  More  than  two  hundred  appli- 
cants were  refused  admission  during  the  fall  vacation. 
There  is  a  growing  improvement  in  the  religious  char- 
acter of  the  school,  and  this  gives  the  people  confi- 
dence in  placing  their  daughters  here.  This  year  we 
have  more  than  one  hundred  who  are  not  Christians. 
A  few  have,  we  trust,  begun  to  love  the  Saviour  since 
we  came  together.  Only  four  weeks  remain  of  this 
term,  but  time  enough  for  a  rich  blessing.  Oh,  pray 
that  it  may  be  given  us  ! " 

The  religious  interest  increased,  and,  in  the  absence 
of  two  of  the  teachers,  an  amount  of  labor  devolved 
upon  Miss  Fiske,  to  which  her  strength  was  scarcely 
equal.  It  was  her  joy,  however,  even  in  weakness, 
to  lead  inquiring  souls  to  Christ,  and  she  was  ever 
studying  how  the  better  to  do  this.  "  We  have,"  she 
says,  "yet  much  to  learn,  I  doubt  not,  of  the  way  to 
Jesus,  and  how  to  tell  that  way  to  others.  We  need 
little  children  to  talk  to,  that  we  may  realize  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  way." 

To  one  of  the  recent  associate  principals  of  the 
seminary,  at  this  time  a  great  sufferer,  unable  to  walk, 
and  with  no  hope  of  recovery,  the  following  letter 
was  addressed :  — 

"  South  Hadlet,  Nov.  9,  1863. 

"  Mr  DEAR  Miss  J. :  —  As  I  have  thought  of  you  of 
late,  confined  to  your  seat  or  bed,  I  have  been  asking 
my  heavenly  Father  to  help  me  to  prize  my  limbs  as 
I  should,  and  to  walk  in  his  ways. 


LETTER  TO  SUSS  JESSUP.  365 

"  I  remember,  when,  twenty-three  years  ago,  I  had 
not  for  many  weeks  had  my  reason,  I  used,  when 
better,  to  wake  in  the  morning,  exclaiming,  *I  am 
here,  and  I  know  where  I  am.  Bless  the  Lord,  O 
my  soul ! '  I  thought,  then,  that  I  never  could  wake 
with  other  than  heartfelt  thankfulness  for  reason,  and 
for  every  blessing.  But  alas  !  I  have  waked  many 
times  without  the  offering  of  a  grateful  heart.  As  I 
read- your  letter,  it  seemed  to  me  sent  from  God  to 
remind  me  that  I  need  to  go  to  Bethel  and  renew  my 
vows  of  consecration,  and  get  my  heart  filled  with 
grateful  love.  Dear,  precious  friend,  you  are  suffer- 
ing for  us  ;  and  will  you  not  pray  for  us,  that  we  may 
bear  life's  burdens  more  joyfully,  doing  what  we  can 
more  gladly  ?  I  have  never  so  longed  for  the  rest 
which  heaven  gives  as  during  the  last  year.  O  my 
friend,  there  is  a  '  need-be'  in  all  that  our  God  does  ! 
Some  must  be  laid  aside  in  mind,  and  some  in  body, 
that  others  may  better  study  God's  will.  He  takes 
those  in  whom  he  will  be  most  honored.  You  wanted 
to  do  us  good.  You  asked  your  Father  a  great  many 
times  that  you  might  be  a  blessing  to  a?Z  your  friends. 
Did  I  uot  hear  you  thus  pray?  Did  not  the  Spirit  of 
God  indite  those  petitions?  You  used  to  say,  'In 
thine  own  way.  Father  ; '  and!  know  you  are  not  sorry 
that  you  left  it  with  God  to  choose  the  way.  He  has 
chosen,  and  we  would  all  learn  of  you.  I  want  to 
learn  so  well  that  Jesus  will  not  feel  that  you  have 
sufliered  in  vain  for  me." 


366  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

LAST  LABORS   AT   SOUTH   HADLEY. 
Health  Failing.  —  Reviyal.  —  Right  Hand.  —  Parting  Pra^er-meetings. 

Miss  Fiske  entered  upon,  what  proved  to  be,  the 
last  year  of  her  earthly  life,  with  greatly  enfeebled 
health.  The  disease  which  compelled  her  to  leave 
the  missionary  field,  though  so  long  held  in  check, 
was  soon  to  have  a  fatal  termination.  In  the  autumn 
it  gave  signs  of  increased  activity,  which,  from  week 
to  week,  grew  more  and  more  alarming,  although  she 
did  not  speak  of  them  untiljanuary.  She  remained, 
however,  at  South  Hadley  through  the  spring  term, 
which  closed  about  the  end  of  March.  Her  last  work 
there  was  the  work,  in  which,  above  all  others,  she 
most  delighted. 

During  those  last  months,  the  seminary  was  blessed 
with  another  revival  of  great  power ;  and  her  labors 
amid  those  scenes  of  thrilling  interest  were  indeed 
a  fitting  close  to  her  life's  work.  After  the  first  of 
January,  she  was  seldom  able  to  attend  the  general 
exercises  of  the  school,  or  even  to  take  her  meals 
with  the  family ;  but  in  her  own  room  she  welcomed 
many  who  came  to  her  for  religious  conversation  and 
prayer.  That  room  became  a  hallowed  spot,  as  the 
invalid  teacher  there  pointed  inquiring  ones  to  Jesus  ; 


KEVIVAL.  367 

urged  thoughtless  oues  to  seek  the  Lord  while  he 
might  be  found ;  or,  kneeling  with  them  before  the 
mercy-seat,  breathed  forth  the  tender  and  earnest 
prayer  in  their  behalf. 

Many  of  the  details  of   these  closing  months  of 
labor  may  be  learned  from  her  own  pen. 

To  a  friend  in  Montreal,  she  writes,  January  8, 
1864:  "A  thousand  thanks  for  all  your  thoughtful 
love,  for  your  words  of  cheer,  and  for  your  prayers. 
You  tell  me  that  I  am  not  free  to  speak  of  my  feel- 
ings. I  thought  I  was ;  but  if  it  be  true  that  I  am 
not,  it  is  because  words  cannot  tell  what  I  feel.  I 
love  to  tell  some  dear  friends  of  soul  conflicts,  and 
of  sweet  assurance  of  pardon  of  sin,  and  of  the  rest 
which  Jesus  gives.  I  should  love  to-night  to  talk 
with  you  of  these  things,  and  to  thank  you  for  letting 
me  know  so  much  of  your  own  heart.  You  say  that 
you  long  for  more  grace.  Did  you  ever  long,  and  not 
receive  ?  You  will  tell  me  soon  that  you  have  had  very 
gracious  visits  from  the  Saviour.  If  you  do  not  feel 
that  you  are  what  you  should  be,  you  will  feel  that 
Jesus  is  all ;  and  the  more  you  feelyour  sins  the  more 
sweetly  you  will  trust.  I  have  been  taking  a  great 
deal  of  comfort  the  last  few  days  in  a  little  book,  by 
Wm.  Ried,  of  Edinburgh,  'The  Blood  of  Jesus.'  I 
feel  very  much  as  Miss  Lyon  said  she  did,  a  little 
while  before  she  died; 'I  can  only  bear  milk;'  and 
this  I  find  here. 

"You  ask  concernino:  the  reliorious  state  of  the  school 
here.  About  twenty  indulged  hope  last  term,  and  some 
ten  more  have  begun  to  hope  within  a  few  days.  But, 
oh,  how  much  greater  blessings  we  need !  We  long 
especially  for  a  thorougli  work  amoug  Christians.   .   • 


368  FAITH   WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

I  suffer  less  from  my  cough  thau  iu  the  autumn,  but 
I  cannot  bear  the  cold,  and  can  make  but  little  effort. 
I  think  I  shall  feel  better  when  the  cold  weather  id 
gone.  Now  you  will  not  think  that  I  am  sick,  for  I 
am  not ;  but  you  know  I  am  exceedingly  careful,  ex- 
pecting to  be  very  well  some  time,  and  hoping  then 
to  do  a  great  deal." 

"  January  1\. — We  had  a  good  Sabbath  yester- 
day. I  had  a  precious  meeting  with  the  dear  young 
Christians.  This  morning  I  had  a  delightful  time 
with  the  senior  class,  in  their  Bible  lesson,  which 
was  the  ninth  and  tenth  chapters  of  Jeremiah.  I 
prepared  a  literal  translation  from  the  old  Syriac, 
which  greatly  interested  them.  This  gave  a  freshness 
to  every  word,  and  they  are  greatly  delighted  with 
the  poetry  of  the  Bible. 

"  *  Would  that  my  head  were  waters, 

And  mine  eyes  a  living  fountain  of  tears; 

I  would  weep  by  day  and  by  night 

For  the  slain  of  the  daughter  of  my  people,' 

seemed  to  come  home  to  them  very  much,  as  we 
spoke  of  Jeremiah's  deep  feeling  and  elevated  lan- 
o'uac'e.  If  vouns:  ladies  would  be  more  familiar  with 
the  Bible,  how  chaste  their  language  would  become  ! 
This  afternoon  ]  have  been  using  for  the  young  ladies, 
the  article  o.:  Abyssinia,  in  the  December  number 
of  the  'Christian  Work.'  And  here  let  me  tell  you, 
that  we  have  had  this  work  the  last  year,  and  value 
it  exceedingly.  How  true  that  we  Americans  have 
nothing  so  good  !  " 

Ao^ain  she  vvrites  to  a  friend  in  Boston :  — 

o 

"27.  — .     .     .     I  am   enjoying  much  in  getting 


RIGHT   HAND.  369 

the  girls  to  read  good  books.  There  has  been  a 
begii^ning  made  this  year  that  may  be  carried  on  to 
much  better  advantage  next  year.  We  will  scatter 
the  good  seed,  and,  if  we  are  called  away,  it  will  still 
be  watered,  and  will  spring  up  and  bear  fruit  to  eter- 
nal life.  Nothing  done  for  Christ  will  be  lost.  How 
strange  it  is,  that,  knowing  this,  we  do  not  seek  to  do 
more  for  him  ! " 

To  the  same,  on  hearing  of  the  accidental  injury 
of  her  right  hand,  she  writes  :  — 

^^  February  3.  —  Has  your  right  hand  forgotten 
its  cunning?  "Well,  it  is  not  because  you  have  for- 
gotten Jerusalem,  for  still  you  remember  her  above 
your  chief  joy.  It  is  that  you  may  better  know  that 
the  Lord's  right  hand  leads  you,  and  makes  you  to 
dwell  in  safety.  If  I  were  with  you  I  would  take 
the  Concordance,  and  look  out  all  the  *  right  hands ' 
of  the  Bible,  and  read  them  to  you.  This  was  once 
my  work,  when  for  three  weeks  my  right  hand  rested. 
How  well  I  remember  those  days  of  suffering,  and 
the  nights  when  the  dear  Nestorian  girls  watched  by 
me  till  the  morning  light !  When  I  fell,  I  was  intent 
on  what  I  thought  was  a  good  work,  but  I  could  not 
well  have  lost  the  lessons  I  learned  while  obliged  to 
rest." 

To  the  same  :  — 

"  15.  — You  have  heard  that  God  is  surely  in  this 
place.  We  have  seen  his  power,  have  felt  his  love, 
and  our  hearts  are  too  full  for  utterance.  A  week 
ago  last  night  I  met  thirty  old  scholars  who  were  not 
Christians.  There  was  quiet  solemnity  in  the  meet- 
ing, but  I  sat  with  them  to  weep ;  for  I  found  not 
one  in  earnest  for  eternal  life.     A  sleepless  night  fol- 

24 


370  FAITH   WORKDIG  BY  LOVE. 

lowed.  I  had  not  strength  for  more  than  a  singlu 
word  of  petition,  *  Mercy  ! '  Last  night  I  could  not 
sleep,  but  it  was  to  thank  the  Lord  for  '  mercy  ' 
given  to  at  least  nineteen  of  those  precious  souls 
There  are  others,  new  scholars,  who  have,  as  they 
and  we  hope,  chosen  Christ  for  their  portion,  so  that 
we  can  believe  that  not  less  than  thirty  have  made 
their  peace  with  God  during  the 'last  week. 
Do  you  wonder  that  our  eyes  run  down  with  tears  ? 
Do  you  wonder  that  we  cling  to  Jesus  more  lovingly 
than  ever?  Dear  friend,  I  wish  you  were  with  us. 
No,  I  do  not.  I  think  you  may  keep  your  eye  right 
on  Jesus  better  where  you  are  than  you  could  here  ; 
that  is,  to  pray.  And  now  keep  praying  for  us  till 
all  are  Christ's." 

A  few  days  later  she  wrote  to  a  friend  in  Newbury- 
port :  — 

"  18.  — The  teachers  were  moved  to  much  prayer, 
finding  time  every  day  to  come  into  my  room  to 
pray,  and  two  weeks  ago  last  Tuesday  evening,  they 
came  in  at  a  late  hour  to  talk  of  what  could  be  done 
for  the  precious  souls  under  our  care.  It  was  decided 
that  we  all  engage  in  direct  labor  for  Christians.  We 
were  constrained  to  do  this,  for  many  of  the  impeni- 
tent utterly  refused  to  be  spoken  with.  A  week  of 
this  labor  passed,  but  we  saw  no  one  deeply  anxious 
among  those  not  Christians.  On  Tuesday  of  last 
week  Dr.  K.  came  here  on  business.  He  preached 
that  evening  to  the  whole  school.  They  were  very 
solemn,  as  also  on  Thursday  morning,  when  he  again 
addressed  them,  and  immediately  left.  He  returned 
Friday  afternoon,  and  that  evening  preached  from 
'  Choose  ye  this  day  whom  ye  will  serve.'    Now  the 


REVIVAL.  371 

Spirit  was  abundantly  poured  out.  Many  hearts  were 
iijoved,  and  forty  stayed  to  converse  with  him  after  the 
meeting.  Many  of  these  had  passed  through  several 
revivals,  and  some  of  them  had  been  here  three  years. 

"  The  inquiry  meeting  on  Saturday  night  was 
thronged,  and  those  indulging  hope  filled  a  large 
room.  Finding  a  still  larger  room  necessary  to  ac- 
commodate all  who  had  this  year  begun  to  hope,  they 
were  invited  to  the  lecture-room,  where,  until  uow, 
the  meetings  for  the  impenitent  had  been  held  every 
Sabbath  evening,  there  being,  when  the  school  opened, 
one  hundred  and  nine  of  this  class.  You  can  imaof- 
ine  better  than  I  can  describe  our  feelinsrs  on  fiudiui? 
seventy  of  that  number  present.  We  sang,  '  Why 
was  I  made  to  hear  his  voice  ?  '  and  after  o-oinor  back 
in  our  thoughts  to  the  beginning  of  the  year,  the 
names  of  those  who  were  at  the  first  meetinsr  of  the 
impenitent  were  read,  with  the  request  that  each,  if 
now  present,  should  rise  as  her  name  was  called.  It 
was  a  scene  of  melting  tenderness.  We  wept  tears 
for  Jesus  to  wipe  away.  After  a  season  of  prayer 
and  communion  with  the  Saviour,  we  sang,  'Lord,  I 
am  thine,  entirely  thine.'  I  have  been  in  my  room 
much  of  the  time  the  last  two  weeks  ;  but  with  care 
and  rest  I  have  been  able  to  go  to  several  meetings, 
and  there  point  souls  to  Christ ;  and  three  times  I 
have  met  the  whole  school.  In  such  days  of  waiting 
on  the  Lord  strength  has  been  renewed.  The  season 
has  seemed  much  like  some  of  those  precious  revivals 
of  old.  I  have  felt  anew  how  delightful  it  is  to  work 
with  the  Spirit  of  God." 

In  a  letter  to  another  friend,  alluding  to  that  meet- 
ing  of  young  converts,    she    says:     "There   were 


372  FAITH   WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

more  thau  thirty  names  to  which  there  was  no  re- 
sponse. I  cannot  describe  to  you  the  deep  solemnity 
there  was  during  the  reading  of  those  names.  We 
seemed  to  be  carried  forward  to  another  day  when 
the  Lord  himself  shall  call  for  us.  At  one  point 
four  names  were  called,  and  no  one  rose.  The  so- 
lemnity that  rested  on  us  all  was  awful,  as  we  seemed 
to  realize  what  it  is  to  be  '  shut  out.' " 

Again  she  writes  :  — 
•  "  22. — The  young  Christians  met  together  Saturday 
evening,  and  also  last  evening.  There  were  eighty- 
one  present.  .  .  .  There  are  now  twenty-three  with- 
out hope.  All  but  ten  of  these  have  classed  them- 
selves with  inquirers  during  the  week.  Feeling  that 
I  must  see  those  ten,  I  asked  them  privately  to  como 
to  my  room  before  tea  last  night.  Eight  came,  and 
four  of  them  manifested  much  feelinsr  before  leaving. 
Two  afterwards  went  to  an  inquiry  meeting.  We 
hope  for  still  further  blessings  this  week." 

In  a  letter  of  later  date  she  says  :  "  Three,  who 
were  in  my  little  meeting  of  the  impenitent  last  Sun- 
day evening,  now  hope  they  are  Christians.  I  told 
them  in  that  meeting  that  I  should  probably  not  ask 
one  of  them  to  answer  another  question  about  her 
soul  till  she  wished  me  to  do  so,  and  added,  'but  if 
any  one  of  your  number  would  have  praj'er  offered 
for  herself,  she  may  come  to  my  room  at  eight  o'clock 
to-morrow  evening.'  One  who  had  stoutly  resisted 
every  intiience  was  the  first  to  come  in  ;  and  yester- 
day morning  she  came  to  tell  me  that  she  hoped  she 
was  Christ's.  Two  others  who  came  in  that  night 
are  beginning  to  entertain  the  same  hope." 

To  a  friend  in  Monson,  she  writes  :  — 


PABTINQ   PRAYER-MEETINGS.  373 

"29.  —  Thursday,  the  day  for  prayer  for  literary 
institutions,  was  a  day  of  deep  interest  here.  The 
solemn  quiet,  the  earnest  prayers,  and  the  wish  to 
have  the  day  longer,  were  affecting.  I  think  I  never 
attended  prayer-meetings  where  there  seemed  more 
of  heaven.  We  had  seven  prayer-meetings  in  the 
lecture-room,  and  there  were  many  little  meetings. 
Over  two  hundred  requests  for  prayer  were  sent  into 
those  meetings.  There  are  still  about  twenty  who 
are  without  hope,  but  some  of  them  seem  very  near 
the  kingdom,  while  others  are  very  far  away." 

"  March  11.  —  It  seems  certain  that  I  cannot  sro  to 
Oroomiah  this  spring.  I  do  not  doubt  my  Father's 
wisdom  in  not  giving  me  the  health  for  it,  but  it  is 
hard  for  the  friends  there.  When  I  see  you  I  will 
tell  you  about  it.  I  have  been  very  thankful  to  be 
here  and  see  the  harvest  gathered  in.  I  do  not  ex- 
pect to  remain  here  during  the  summer." 

"  25.  —  Most  of  the  teachers  and  young  ladies  have 
left.  I  have  lingered  because  I  wanted  to  see  these 
precious  children  to  the  end ;  and  now  I  am  taking 
away  everything,  so  as  to  feel  that  my  home  is  not 
to  be  here  at  all  for  the  summer.  Each  passing  day 
makes  me  feel  more  and  more  how  o^reat  the  blessing 
God  has  given  us.  I  met  the  dear  young  Christians 
Monday  night,  and  they  pledged  themselves  to  re- 
member, each  the  others,  at  the  hour  of  sunset. 
You  will  sometimes,  at  that  hour,  ask  God  to  keep 
them  from  the  evil  that  is  in  the  world.  Last  night, 
even  in  the  midst  of  the  carrying  out  of  the  baggage , 
we  had  a  prayer-meeting,  at  which  more  than  two 
hundred  were  present.  It  was  one  of  the  most 
delightful    seasons    of    prayer    in    which    I    ever 


374  FAITH  WORKINa  BY  LOVE. 

participated.  A  great  company  left  about  five  o'clock 
this  morning ;  but  they  did  not  go  till  they  had  held 
a  prayer-meeting  in  the  reception-room.  When  the 
second  company  were  ready  to  leave,  we  went  to  the 
library  and  had  three  prayers  before  we  separated. 
There  were  about  seventy  in  the  meeting.  They  were 
all  ready  to  go ;  but  we  continued  praying  till  the 
'  long  bell '  told  us  that  the  carriages  were  at  the 
door.  It  seemed  so  much  like  other  years ;  just  like 
that  Eastern  home." 


LAST  SICKNESS.  375 


CHAPTER  XXVn. 

LAST   SICKNESS — DEATH — FUNERAL. 

Before  the  term  closed  at  South  Hadley,  Miss 
Fiske  became  convinced  that  she  must  abandon  all 
hope  of  returning  to  Persia  this  year ;  and  also  that 
she  could  not  prudently  remain  at  the  seminary  dur- 
ing the  summer.  Entire  rest  and  freedom  from  care 
seemed  indispensable,  and  she  accordingly  went  to 
her  Shelburne  home,  hoping  so  far  to  recover  her 
health  as  to  be  able,  in  a  few  weeks,  to  resume  the 
writing  of  "Recollections  of  Marj'  Lyon." 

Her  plan  at  first  was  to  spend  the  summer  months 
by  the  sea-shore ;  and  repeatedly  the  day  was  fixed 
for  going  to  Newburypoi-t,  but  her  strength  each  time 
proved  unequal  to  the  journey.  For  weeks  her  trunk 
was  packed,  while  she  waited  for  some  favorable 
change,  and  it  remained  packed  to  the  last,  but  no 
change  came  for  the  better,  until  the  great  change 
which  released  her  from  all  mortal  suffering  and  bore 
her  away  to  the  rest  and  the  rewards  of  heaven. 

The  following  extracts  from  letters  will  be  read 
with  tender  interest,  and  will  indicate  the  progress 
made  by  the  disease,  until  at  length  it  silenced  the 
pen  that  had  for  many  years  been  so  eloquent  in  the 
Master's  service  :  — 


376  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVE. 


TO  MISS  H.    M.    L. 


«  SasLBVBHB,  March  31,  1864. 

"  You  ask  me  to  write  you  a  short  letter,  telling, 
first  of  all,  of  my  health.  I  never  like  to  talk  or 
write  of  that.  Yet  I  will  do  so  now,  for  how  can  I 
do  otherwise  after  all  your  kind  inquiries?  For  sev- 
eral weeks  I  have  not  been  nearly  as  well  as  usual, 
and  so  I  shall  not  trv  to  do  auvthinsr  more  at  South 
Hadley  for  the  present.  I  do  not  know  why  I  cannot 
do  more,  but  I  cannot.  I  think  I  shall  feel  better 
soon,  —  at  least  I  hope  so,  and  I  know  of  nothing  so 
good  for  me  as  quiet." 

TO   MISS    RICE. 

"  Shelbtjrxb,  April  1,  1864. 

"  My  dear  Sister  :  —  My  heart's  tenderest  sympa- 
thies are  with  you,  and  I  have  shrunk  from  telling 
you  that  I  cannot  go  to  you  this  spring.  It  is  only  a 
few  weeks  since  I  gave  it  up  ;  that  is,  so  as  to  feel 
sure  that  I  cannot  go.  I  trust  that  my  letters  have 
led  you  to  see  that  I  am  not  staying  here,  as  some  of 
you  feared,  to  do  other  work.  I  have  always  felt  that 
it  would  be  wrong  for  me  to  make  plans  for  life  here  ; 
and,  whatever  you  may  hear  of  ray  movements,  re- 
member that  when  I  form  a  plan  to  remain  here,  I 
s-hall  tell  you  of  it  first  of  all.  For  six  weeks  in  Jan- 
nary  and  February  I  kept  my  bed  half  the  time.  I 
ara  now  feeling  much  better,  but  can  make  but  little 
eftbrt,  either  physical  or  mental." 

TO   MISS    H.    M.    L. 

"  May  12,  1864. 

"I  cannot  now  make  any  efibrt  without  sufiering,  so 
I  am  very  good  in  obeying  medical  advisers,  and  am 


LETTER  -TO   DR.    WRIGHT.  377 

really  doing  nothing.  I  am  charged  not  to  go  to 
South  Hadley,  and  so  I  shall  'pass  by  on  the  other 
side '  when  I  go  to  Newburyport.  Those  scenes  of 
last  winter  were  too  much  for  me,  but  I  should  love 
to  go  to  heaven  from  them." 

TO  DR.  WRIGHT,  ON  THE  EVE  OF  HIS  LEAVING  AMERICA 
TO   RETURN  TO  PERSIA. 

"SHBLBtmNE,  May  26,  1864. 

"  My  DEAR  Brother  :  —  I  know  that  your  heart 
and  hands  are  full  these  last  days  before  leaving;. but 
I  doubt  not  that  you  are  strengthened,  and  walk  in 
light  and  peace.  You  know  that  yon  bear  to  those 
dear  friends  in  Oroomiah  the  love  and  deepest  inter- 
est of  ni}'  heart.  They  will  ask,  as  they  have  often 
done,  'Why  does  she  delay  her  coming?'  and  they 
will  henceforth  ask  this  very  gently,  if  my  letters  have 
helped  them  to  understand  how  I  long  to  be  with 
them.  If  a  sea  voyage  would  take  me  there,  I  should 
not  be  slow  in  deciding  to  go  to  them.  If  I  could  not 
work,  I  could  look  upon  those  dear  children  again, 
and  ask  them  to  hold  in  remembrance  the  one  way 
to  our  'home,' when  I  shall  have  gone  from  them. 
Those  dear  native  friends,  how  my  heart  goes  out 
toward  them  !  May  you  be  spared  to  meet  them  and 
bless  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ! 

"  I  am  thankful  that  you  can  see  the  pillar  of  cloud 
rising,  which  you  are  to  follow.  May  it  lead  you  to 
the  land  which  we  saw  from  afar,  and  then  dwelt 
therein  to  find  the  promises  of  our  God  'yea  and 
amen.'  We  were  blessed  with  the  'early  rain,' and 
my  prayer  is  that  in  the  '  latter  rain '  you  may  find  a 


378  FAITH  WORKING' BY  LOVE. 

yet  richer  blessing.  So,  Lord,  bless  thy  servant,  and 
all  those  named  by  his  name. 

"  Yours  affectionately, 

"Fidelia  Fiske." 

As  the  disease  progressed  her  sufferings  increased, 
especially  at  night.     May  31st,  she  writes  :  — 

"Last  night  was  one  of  those  niofhts  of  sufferinsr 
which  give  me  days  of  weariness.  I  can  write  easier 
than  I  can  do  anything  else.  I  do  not  feel  anxious 
about  the  future.  I  may  be  better  soon  ;  if  I  am  not,  I 
do  not  believe  I  shall  be  kept  here  a  great  while.  The 
whole  system  seems  to  me  to  be  too  much  affected  to 
get  good-  from  local  treatment ;  and  the  disease,  if 
not  checked,  will,  I  think,  work  rapidly.  I  may  be 
wrong ;  but,  be  that  as  it  may,  I  know  all  will  be 
well." 

Allusions  in  the  two  following  letters  will  be  more 
readily  understood,  if  it  be  here  stated  that  they  were 
written  soon  after  a  trying  sickness  in  the  Oxford 
Female  Seminary,  Ohio,  which  broke  up  the  school 
for  the  term :  — 

TO  MRS.  p. 

"  Shblbitbne,  Jane  2,  1864. 

"Mr  DEAR.  Mrs  P.:  —  The  accompanying  letter 

from  Miss  J was  sent  me  last  night.     When  I 

read  it  I  was  dumb.  I  could  not  speak  of  it  even  to 
those  by  my  side.  I  went  to  my  room  to  pass  a  sleep- 
less night.  My  thoughts  would  go  to  dear  Miss  P., 
and  then  back  to  our  own  dear  Miss  Lyon,  as  she 
bowed  under  a  similar  trial  in  1840.     You  remember 


LETTER  TO  MISS   E.   J.  379 

those  days,  and  will  be  able  to  write  Miss  P.  a  letter 
that  will  comfort  her.  I  want  to  write  her  this  after- 
noon, but  must  wait  till  to-morrow,  for  feeling  con- 
sumes all  my  strength  very  soon.  I  have  been  entirely 
satisfied  in  being  here,  because  I  was  sure  the  Lord 
Jesus  bade  me  stay  and  rest,  and  that  he  came  before 
me  to  stay  with  me.  How  easy  to  feel  that  all  is 
right,  when  we  can  see  or  believe  that  the  Lord  orders 
all !  This  entire  resting  has  not  often  been  necessary 
for  me,  and  I  almost  feel  it  to  be  a  new  experience. 
But  how  much  of  it  has  been  yours  !  What  blessed 
lessons  you  have  learned  in  the  school  of  suffering ! 
You  have  thus  done  much  good  to  others,  and  certainly 
to  me,  for  which  I  have  often  thanked  the  Lord." 

TO  MISS   E.    J. 

"June  6,  1864. 

"  My  dear  Miss  J.  :  —  How  much  I  thank  you  for 
remembering  me  in  your  letter  to  the  seminary  of 
May  23d.  I  received  it  just  at  night  last  Wednesday, 
but  I  could  not  trust  myself  to  read  it  till  the  next 
afternoon.  Then  my  heart  went  out  to  you  in  sym- 
pathy which  I  have  not  ventured  to  attempt  to  express. 
Dear  Miss  Peabody  !  I  love  her  as  never  before,  and 
I  am  sure  that  the  Saviour's  voice  is  heard  in  all  this, 
saying,  'Whom  I  love  I  chasten.'  We  open  not  our 
mouths,  because  our  God  has  done  it.  You  know 
a  similar  trial  came  upon  our  dear  Miss  Lyon  in  1840. 
She  took  the  cup  from  her  Father's  hand  and  meekly 
drank  it,  even  to  the  dregs.  But  while  the  spirit  was 
willing  the  flesh  was  weak.  She  broke  down  under 
it»  but  rose  to  be  more  than  ever  like  her  divine  Mas- 


380  FAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

ter.  ...  I  stayed  too  long  at  the  seminary,  but  I 
thank  ray  God  even  for  those  last  weeks.  They  were 
weeks  of  suffering  crowned  with  holy  joy.  .  . 
If  1  get  home  before  you  do,  I  do  not  think  I  shall 
forget  that  you  are  coming.  May  we  both  be  prepared 
for  an  abundant  entrance  into  the  world  of  light !  " 

TO  MRS.    s. 

"  June  4,  1864. 

"These  shaking  tabernacles  try  us;  but  taking 
them  down  is  no  unimportant  part  of  our  preparation 
for  the  'house  not  made  with  hands.'  It  is  not  our 
Father's  will  that  we  stay  in  them  always,  and,  while 
abidinof  in  them,  he  sees  that  we  need  to  be  often 
pointed  to  the  hour  when  he  will  give  us  a  body  all 
glorious.  ...  I  can  usually  feel  very  happy  in 
leaving  my  future  with  Him  who  has  dealt  so  kindly 
with  me  in  all  the  past.  When  I  left  Oroomiah  I  felt, 
as  did  others,  that  I  could  not  live  long.  But  ray 
Father  has  given  me  years  of  very  comfortable  health, 
and  he  will  give  me  more,  if  he  needs  me  to  labor  any 
more  for  him." 

TO    D.    T.    F. 

"  June  16,  1864. 

"  I  have  not  found  myself  as  well  ^s  I  hoped  to  be 
this  week.  For  two  or  three  days  I  was  not  able  to 
go  out,  but  am  better  now,  though  not  well  enough 
to  go  to  Nevvbuiyport.  I  want  to  make  a  little  change 
as  soon  as  I  am  strong  enough,  and  independent 
enough ;  but  I  wait  cheerfully  ray  Father's  time.  He 
makes  ray  way  an  easy  one,  and  I  know  he  will  again 
Sfive  rae  health  if  it  is  best  for  me.    The  friends  leave 

o  

for  Oroomiah  on  Saturday.     '  Why  might  I  not  go 


LETTER   TO  MISS    H.    M.    L.  381 

with  them?'  I  can  hardly  ask  but  with  tears,  and  a 
full  heart.  It  would  do  me  good  to  know  that  'the 
Lord  had  need  of  me  there ;  but  shall  I  doubt  the 
love  that  keeps  me  here  ? ' " 

TO   MISS   H.    M.    L. 

"  June  17,  1864. 

"  Physicians  are  not  agreed  in  reference  to  my 
ailments.  The  last  theory  is  that  the  absorbents 
of  the  system  generally  refuse  to  perform  their 
duty.  This,  of  course,  is  attended  with  many  hours 
of  intense  suffering,  while  I  have  many  other  hours 
of  comparative  ease.  My  arms  are  much  of  the  time 
so  swollen  that  I  cannot  raise  them  to  my  head,  while 
my  shoulders,  and  the  entire  breast  and  chest  are  in 
full  sympathy,  and  the  lower  limbs  are  beginning  to 
be  affected  also. 

"All  this  makes  me  very  dependent;  too  much  so 
to  allow  me  to  think  of  being  a  visitor  anywhere.  A 
few  weeks  ao^o  there  was  a  stronsj  feelins:  that  I  mnst 
take  a  voyage.  It  was  proposed  that  I  go  to  England 
with  Dr.  Wright  and  Mr.  Conn,  on  their  way  to 
Oroomiah.  I  did  not  object,  but  it  was  a  relief  to  me 
to  have  it  decided  that  it  was  not  best.  My  physician 
thinks  that  my  voyage  home  gave  me  a  new  lease  of 
life.  I  am  willinof  to  rest  awhile,  believinsf  such  to  be 
my  Father's  will.  I  cannot  sew,  or  do  anything  of  the 
kind  ;  but  I  write,  taking  the  paper  in  my  lap  ;  and  I 
enjoy  Heading  very  much.  I  do  not  attempt  to  con- 
verse with  anv  one  Ions:  at  a  time,  because  it  takes 
the  suiSering  members  so  long  to  compose  themselves 
afterwards.  T  am  sometimes  obliged  to  take  opiates 
to  keep  pain  within  limits ;  but  much  of  the  time  I 


382  FATTH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

can  do  without  them,  jind  do  not  suffer  as  much  as  I 
did  a  few  weeks  aijo.  I  am  very  far  from  being 
'troubled,'  because  I  know  who  is  caring  for  me. 
He  will  never  keep  rae  in  the  furnace  one  moment 
longer  than  is  necessary  for  the  good  of  his  cause  ou 
earth  and  in  heaven  ;  and  can  I  not,  if  he  strensrthens 
me,  rejoice  in  this?  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  writing 
so  fully  in  regard  to  myse'f,  and  should  be  ashamed 
of  having  done  so,  had  you  not  asked  it." 

TO  MRS.   s.    D.    s. 

"June  22,  1864. 

"I  know  that  the  Lord  is  hearing  the  requests 
of  others  for  rae.  He  is  giviug  me  blessings  which 
I  do  not  think  to  ask  for  myself.  He  is  so  good  to 
keep  me  from  anxious  thoughts  about  the  future  ! 
They  do  not  seem  to  have  any  place  within  me  ;  so  I 
know  it  is  of  the  Lord." 

"  Jul^  3.  —  There  is  no  reason  why  I  should  not 
be  cheerful  and  happy ;  and  I  wish  to  be  so.  I  am 
sure  that  the  Lord  gives  me  much  peace  in  answer 
to  the  prayers  of  his  children.  But  when  I  look  at 
myself  soberly,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  have  very  little 
reason  to  suppose  that  I  can  ever  be  well.  While  I 
feel  that  I  ought  to  do  everything  that  can  be  done  to 
restore  health,  I  feel  from  day  to  day  that  disease  is 
gt  tting  a  stronger  and  stronger  hold,  and  that  there 
is  little  prospect  of  any  change  for  the  better.  I  do 
not  say  this,  expressing  a  preference  either  to  go  or 
to  stay  ;  but  as  a  common-sense  view.  I  am  so  afraid 
that  I  shall  not  be  patient  under  suffering !  Do  pray 
that  I  may  not,  in  word  or  heart,  complain.  It  seems 
to  me  so  certain  that  my  Father  would  have  rae  suffer, 


CLOSE  OP  HER   CORRESPONDENCE.  383 

that  I  ask  for  patience  rather  than  that  I  may  be  free 
from  suffering." 

The  disease,  which  at  first  was  thought  to  be  of  a 
cancerous  nature,  proved  to  be  a  general  inflammation 
of  the  lymphatic  vessels.  It  made  rapid  progress, 
and  was  attended  with  intense  suffering.  Her  arms 
became  so  much  swollen,  that,  within  a  few  days  after 
the  last  date,  she  was  obliged  wholly  to  lay  aside  her 
pen.  —  The  letters  of  Fidelia  Fiske  are  ended. 

To  her  most  intimate  friend,  the  friend  of  many 
years,  both  in  Persia  and  America,  whose  presence 
was  a  great  comfort  to  Miss  Fiske  during  her  last 
days,  we  are  largely  indebted  for  the  means  of  con- 
tinuinor  the  record  of  her  life  to  its  closin2r  scene. 

On  the  arrival  of  this  friend,  July  9th,  Miss  Fiske 
was  able  to  walk  from  her  chamber  into  the  hall  and 
greet  her  with  her  usual  pleasant  smile.  For  two 
nights  she  had  been  obliged  to  sleep  in  her  chair. 
The  inflammation  and  swelling  about  the  chest  and 
arms  were  so  great  as  to  make  a  reclining  posture 
extremely  painful ;  and  during  the  last  three  weeks 
of  her  life  she  could  rest  only  in  her  chair. 

July  11th,  being  a  very  warm  day,  she  suffered  ex- 
tremely. Her  distress  was  at  times  so  great  that  she 
could  not  keep  back  the  tears,  nor  help  saying,  "  Why 
is  it  that  I  must  suffer  so  ?  "  "  Can  I  bear  it  ?  "  "  Am 
I  so  wicked  as  to  need  such  discipline?"  Then  she 
would  weep  still  more  bitterly  at  the  thought  that  she 
had  been  impatient.  She  said  it  was  evidently  her 
Father's  will  that  she  should  suffer,  and  she  wished 
to  bear  it  without  a  murmur. 

Many  times  during  those  trying  days,  as  her  friend 


384  FAITH  WORKING  uf   LOVE. 

kneeled  by  her  side,  endeavoring  to  soothe  and 
comfort  her  with  some  Scriptural  promise,  or  verse 
of  a  hymn,  she  would  rest  her  head  on  her  friend's 
shoulder,  the  tears  flowing  fast,  and  say,  "  God  bless 
you  my  sister  !  Say  it  over  and  over ;  it  does  com- 
fort me." 

Her  nervous  system  seemed  to  be  entirely  pros- 
trated, and  it  was  painful  beyond  expression  to  see 
one  who  had  been  a  daughter  of  consolation  to  mul- 
titudes, thus  overwhelmed.  But  the  Saviour  loved 
his  child,  and  wished  to  give  her  a  new  experience 
of  fellowship  in  his  suffering. 

Amid  all  her  pains  and  nervous  disturbance,  her 
faith  remained  clear  and  strong.  "I  have  not  a 
doubt,"  she  said,  "  of  my  final  acceptance.  I  know  I 
am  the  Lord's,  and  he  will  save  me ;  but  I  want  to 
bear  his  sufferings  so  as  to  honor  him.  I  do  not  want 
to  give  way  to  my  feelings.  It  would  be  hard  to 
endure  so  much  suffering,  if  I  did  not  know  that  it  is 
my  heavenly  Father  who  sends  it  all  in  love.  Yes,  I 
am  sure  he  knows  what  is  best  for  me.  I  will  trust 
—  /  will  —  I  will.'' 

Saturday  night,  July  16th,  she  had  severe  parox- 
ysms of  pain,  attended  with  fainting,  and  a  slight 
wandering  of  the  mind.  Her  extreme  feebleness  the 
next  morning  compelled  her  physician  to  relinquish 
the  hope  of  her  recovery,  which  till  then  he  had 
cherished. 

Monday,  July  18th,  with  perfect  calmness  she 
gave  directions  as  to  the  disposition  of  her  wardrobe 
and  other  articles.  In  the  afternoon  a  dear  friend 
from  Boston  spent  an  hour  with  her,  and,  in  the 
•jourse  of  her  conversation,  observed  that  she  thought 


LAST  MESSAGE   TO   MT.    HOLYOKE   FRIENDS.     385 

•*  Christ  was  honored  more  by  our  suffering  as  weak 
mortals,  than  he  could  be  by  our  suffering  as  per- 
fect beings,  and  that  we  could  not  prevent  our  ex- 
clamations or  our  tears  under  excruciating  pain 
unless  we  were  more  than  mortal."  This  thought 
seemed  greatly  to  comfort  Miss  Fiske.  Hitherto  her 
requests  to  her  friends  had  been,  "Pray  tlrat  I  may 
have  patience  to  endure;"  afterwards  it  was,  "Pray 
that  the  will  of  the  Lord  may  be  wholly  accomplished 
in  me." 

The  same  day  she  dictated  her  last  message  to  the 
teachers  and  pupils  of  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  as 
follows  :  — 

"  I  cannot  allow  you  to  separate  without  blessing 
you  once  more  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  want  to 
thank  you  for  those  precious  notes  from  you,  which 
have  come  flocking  to  my  room  for  the  last  few  days. 
I  should  love  to  write  you  individually,  but  I  cannot 
do  it,  nor  even  collectively,  except  by  the  hand  of 
another.  Your  notes  have  been  an  exceeding  comfort 
to  me,  and  your  repeated  assurances  of  remembrance 
in  your  prayers  have  been  more  to  me  than  any 
earthly  good.  Let  me  thank  you  for  it  all,  and  as- 
sure you  that  Jesus  will  not  forget  it.  I  have  loved 
you  tenderly,  and  have  loved  to  labor  with  you  ;  and 
could  I  be  with  you  this  morning  to  give  you  one  part- 
ing word,  it  would  not  be  a  new  one,  but  one  which 
I  would  have  you  ever  hold  in  remembrance.  '  Live 
for  Christ ; '  in  so  doing  we  shall  all  be  blessed  in 
time  and  in  eternity. 

"  liver  yours  in  the  Lord, 

"Fidelia  Fiske." 

26 


386  FAITH   WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

The  next  morning,  after  a  paroxysm  of  pain,  she 
said,  "I  thiuk  the  Saviour  can  honor  himself  just  as 
much  by  forgiving  any  seeming  impatience,  as  by 
keeping  me  from  it."  In  the  evening  she  inquired  if 
the  doctor  thought  she  would  recover.  When  told  that 
he  did  not,  she  replied,  "I  am  glad  to  hear  it ;  that  is 
my  own.  conviction,  and  it  is  a  relief  to  know  that  it 
is  his  also."  The  next  morning  she  said,  "  It  makes 
the  way  seem  shorter  and  easier  to  feel  that  there  is 
no  hope  of  recovery."  She  had  before  remarked 
that  it  seemed  a  long  way  back  to  health,  and  that 
she  dreaded  the  process  of  getting  well ;  but  she  was 
very  careful  about  expressing  any  positive  wish  to 
die.  "  My  life,"  she  said,  "has  been  one  of  uninter- 
rupted prosperity,  and  my  heavenly  Father  sees  that 
I  am  not  prepared  for  heaven  without  suffering  here, 
and  he  will  lay  upon  me  no  more  strokes  than  I  need  ; 
just  a  few  more,  and  then  he  will  take  me  to  himself." 
She  had  enjoyed  life,  even  its  most  laborious  duties, 
and  now  expressed  herself  as  equally  ready  to  depart, 
or  to  remain  and  take  up  life's  work  anew,  as  she  had 
done  twenty-four  years  before,  when  brought  back 
from  the  borders  of  the  grave. 

Wednesday,  July  20th,  she  conversed  freely  with 
her  family  friends  about  leaving  them.  To  one  who 
was  bathing  her  arms  she  said,  "You  will  never  be 
sorry  for  all  the  care  you  have  taken  of  these  poor 
arms.  They  will  serve  Jesus  the  better  for  it  in  the 
other  world."  Again,  after  listening  to  a  hymn  in 
which  "eternal  rest"  was  mentioned,  she  said  that 
the  idea  of  heaven  as  a  place  of  "  rest "  merely,  was 
not  pleasant  to  her.  She  delighted  to  think  of  the 
saints  as  active,  and  engaged,  as  far  as  possible,  in 


MESSAGE   TO  HER   FRIENDS   IN   OROOMIAH.      387 

those  employments  which  they  had  most  enjoyed  on 
earth.  She  often  spoke  of  the  loved  ones  she  hoped 
soon  to  meet,  and  of  the  joy  she  should  have  in  talk- 
insr  with  them  about  the  friends  left  on  earth,  and  the 
events  which  had  occurred  here. 

The  only  relief  she  had  from  sitting  in  her  chair 
was  to  be  removed  to  the  lounge,  and  there  supported 
in  the  arms  of  some  friends. 

On  Friday,  she  said,  "  As  I  grow  weaker  I  think 
less  of  the  pain,  and  feel  more  the  Saviour's  arms 
about  me,  and  it  is  sweet  to  feel  them."  For  several 
years  she  had  felt  a  dread  of  the  last  conflict,  in  con- 
sequence of  having  witnessed  instances  of  death,  and 
among  friends,  which  were  peculiarly  painful.  On 
being  asked  if  she  still  felt  that  dread,  she  replied,  "I 
can  leave  it  now,  and  look  beyond." 

Sabbath  morning  she  asked  to  have  a  number  of 
the  tracts  entitled  "  ImmanueFs  Land  "  laid  upon  her 
table,  so  that  every  person  coming  into  her  room 
might  take  one. 

The  muscles  about  the  chest  had  now  become  so 
contracted  that  she  could  not  straighten  herself  sufli- 
ciently  to  rest  her  head  on  the  back  of  her  chair,  and 
could  sleep  only  by  having  her  head  supported  by  one 
attendant,  and  her  arms  by  another. 

On  Monday  it  became  evident  that  the  end  was 
near.  Toward  evening  she  dictated  the  following 
message  to  her  friends  in  Oroomiah  :  — 

"  Friends,  dearly  beloved  :  —  As  I  stand  on  the 
borders  of  eternity,  there  is  no  new  truth  on  which 
to  dwell.  Those  truths  which  have  sustained  us  in 
our  labors  together  sustain  now.  Our  labors  to- 
gether  on  earth  are  finished,  but  I  trust  not  in  heaven. 


388  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

You  labor  on  yet  a  little  longer,  while  the  Master 
calls  for  me.  It  is  not  meet  that  I  say  unto  you,  *  Be 
faithful  in  labor ; '  but,  if  you  are  so,  you  will  soon  be 
found  with  crowns  upon  your  heads,  and  harps  in 
your  hands,  —  made  perfect  in  Christ's  righteousness  > 
God  grant  that  I  may  meet  you  there,  though  I  fee  , 
to-night,  that  I  am  all  sin  and  unrighteousness." 

To  her  mother  she  said,  "I  must  soon  go;  there 
are  others  to  care  for  you,  and  when  the  Master  calls 
for  you,  you  will  then  be  glad  that  I  have  gone  be- 
fore ;  for  I  shall  be  there  waiting  to  meet  you." 

Monday  night  was  to  the  dear  sufferer  a  very  dis- 
tressful one,  and  a  part  of  the  time  she  was  delirious. 

The  next  morning,  Tuesday,  July  26th,  about  half- 
past  eight  o'clock.  Rev.  E.  Y.  Swift  called  to  see  her. 
She  signified  her  wish  that  he  should  come  to  her 
room.  As  he  entered  the  door,  she  put  out  her  hand 
to  welcome  him,  and,  in  reply  to  his  salutation,  she 
said  feebly,  "  Will  you  pray?  "  These  were  her  last 
words.  During  the  first  part  of  the  prayer  she  was 
greatly  distressed,  but  as  the  petition  was  uttered 
that  God  would  grant  her  a  speedy  release  from  her 
sufferings,  and  an  abundant  entrance  into  his  ever- 
lasting kingdom,  the  struggle  ceased  ;  and,  at  the  close 
of  the  prayer,  only  a  few  gentle  breathings  were  per- 
ceptible. A  life  of  prayer  had  ended  in  prayer,  and 
the  spirit  of  Fidelia  Fiske  had  entered  into  glory. 

The  funeral  services  were  attended  on  Thursday. 
At  the  house.  Rev.  Theophilus  Packard,  who  was  for 
many  years  Miss  Fiske's  beloved  pastor,  offered 
prayer.  The  procession  of  mourners  then  moved  to 
the  church,  which  was  filled  with  those  whose  hearts 
seemed  bowed  with   one   great   sorrow.     After  the 


FUNERAL.  389 

siugiug  of  the  hymn,  "  'Tis  finished ;  the  conflict  is 
past,"  Rev.  E.  S.  Billings,  the  pastor  of  the  church, 
read  appropriate  passages  of  Scripture,  and  made  a 
brief  address,  concluding  with  a  statement  of  the 
principal  facts  in  Miss  Fiske's  life.  Rev.  Drs.  Ander- 
son and  Kirk,  of  Boston,  then,  in  touching  words, 
paid  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  memory  of  one  whom  they 
so  well  knew,  and  whose  rare  Christian  worth  they 
so  highly  appreciated.  A  tender  and  fervent  prayer 
by  Dr.  Kirk,  and  the  singing  of  another  hymn, 
closed  the  deeply  affecting  services.  It  was  a  great 
disappointment  to  all,  whom  the  mournful  occasion 
drew  together,  that  the  coffin  could  not  be  opened  to 
allow  them  to  gaze  once  more  upon  the  face  of  their 
beloved  friend. 

From  the  church  the  procession  wound  its  way  to 
the  retired  little  cemetery,  where  she  had  indicated 
her  wish  to  be  buried.  And  there,  amid  sad  hearts 
and  tearful  eyes,  was  laid  to  rest  all  that  was  mortal 
of  Fidelia  Fiske.  The  hour  and  the  scene  touch- 
ingly  harmonized  with  the  occasion.  The  sun  was 
sinking  in  the  west;  the  summits  of  the  hills,  among 
which  the  sainted  one  was  born,  were  bathed  in  light, 
while  their  shadow  was  thrown  over  the  spot  where 
her  body  was  finding  its  last  resting-place.  And  it 
was  easier,  at  such  a  solemn  and  tranquil  hour,  and 
amid  such  surroundings,  for  those  who  felt  that  they 
were  indeed  under  a  great  shadow,  to  leave  that 
precious  dust,  "Until  the  day  break  and  the  shad- 
ows flee  away ; "  and  from  the  sunlight  on  the  neigh- 
boring hills,  to  lift  their  thoughts  to  those  "everlast- 
ing hills,"  where  there  is  no  night,  and  where  the 
departed  one  was  already  walking  in  garments  more 


390  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

radiant  than  the   sun,  and  whiter  than  the  flowers 
strown  upon  her  grave. 

In  the  accompanying  view  of  the  cemetery  where 
Miss  Fiske  was  buried,  the  shaft  at  the  right  indicates 
her  grave. 


TESTIMONIALS.  391 


CHAPTER  XXVm. 

TESTIMONIALS. 

From  Hoshebo.  —  Sarra.  —  Sanum.  —  Dea.  Yonan.  —  Miss  Rice.  —  Rev. 
Mr.  Rhea.  —  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins.  —  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk.  —  Rev.  Dr.  Laurie.  — 
Rev.  Dr.  Anderson. 

Those  who  have  followed  the  narrative  of  Miss 
Fiske's  labors  in  the  preceding  pages  must,  it  is  be- 
lieved, have  felt  themselves  in  the  presence  of  a  rare 
Christian  woman,  —  a  skilful  Christian  teacher,  —  an 
eminently  devoted  and  successful  Christian  mission- 
ary. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to  compare 
the  impressions  which  this  narrative  has  made  upon 
his  own  mind,  with  the  impression  made  by  Miss 
Fiske  upon  the  minds  of  those  who  were  favored  with 
an  intimate  personal  acquaintance  with  her,  these 
closing  pages  are  devoted  to  a  few  of  the  testimonials, 
which  have  been  kindly  furnished  since  her  death. 
Their  variety  and  fulness  will  render  it  needless  for 
the  compiler  of  this  volume  to  transcribe  his  own  im- 
pressions of  a  character,  whose  leading  traits  they  so 
clearly  indicate,  and  to  which  they  pay  so  ample  a 
tribute. 

When  the  tidings  of  Miss  Fiske's  death  reached  Per- 
sia, there  was  bitter  disappointment  and  profound  grief, 
not  only  in  the  missionary  circle,  but  among  all  classes 
of  the  Nestor ians.     Many  of  her  pupils  wrote  letters 


392  TAITH   WORKWQ  BY    LOVE. 

of  sympathy  aud  condolence  to  her  mother  and  sister, 
from  which  the  following  extracts  are  taken :  — 


FROM   HOSHEBO,    OF   SARALAN. 

"  There  is  not  one  of  the  women  of  our  people  who 
ever  saw  Miss  Fiske,  who  does  not  remember  her 
with  deepest  regret  at  her  death.  The  summing  up 
of  her  record  is  simply  this :  she  was  very  Christ- 
like, having  a  strong  resemblance  to  himself  in  all  his 
traits,  especially  in  his  adaptation  of  his  parables  to 
the  state  of  every  person.  .  .  .  She  used  to  go 
often  to  some  of  the  large  villages,  visiting  from  house 
to  house,  especially  to  comfort  the  poor  women.  She 
would  sit  down  by  the  wheel  a  few  minutes,  and  show 
them  that  as  the  body  has  need  of  food  and  raiment, 
so  also  the  soul  has  wants  which  must  be  met,  need- 
ing for  its  clothing  the  garment  of  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, and  for  its  food  the  hidden  manna.  She  would 
also  sit  at  the  looms  of  the  boys  and  young  men,  and 
weave  a  little,  drawing  their  thoughts  upward  by  her 
excellent  skill  in  many  ways,  and  then  she  would 
pray  with  them.  After  her  visits  to  the  houses,  she 
would  not  spare  herself  the  melting  heats  of  summer, 
but  would  go  into  the  fields  to  the  women  weeding 
cotton,  aud  converse  with  them  there. 

''One  trait,  in  which  she  was  remarkable  above  all 
others,  was  that  of  taking  care  of  the  sick.  She  pos- 
sessed that  skill  and  ability  which  could  control  one 
in  bodily  ailments  as  well  as  in  spiritual.  She  used 
to  talk  very  much  to  us  about  taking  care  of  the  sick, 
and  taught  us  that  it  was  a  holy  and  acceptable  ser- 
vice ;  as  our  Lord  says,  'I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me,* 


TESTIMONIALS.  3?3 

"But  what  can  I  leave,  and  what  caa  I  write? 
There  is  more  than  I  have  power  to  relate  respect- 
ing  the  completeness  of  my  mother,  Miss  Fiske,  so 
adorned  with  lofty  and  good  deeds.  Oh,  if  it  be  not 
possible  that  all,  would  that  one  or  two,  at  least,  of 
her  flock  might  resemble  her,  even  as  she  resembled 
Miss  Lyon,  the  founder  of  Mount  Holyoke  Semi- 
nary I " 

FROM  SARRA,  WIFE  OF  OSHANA. 

'*  She  was  very  dear  to  me  because  she  has  done 
so  much  for  me,  —  more  than  my  own  loved  parents. 
She  taught  us  many  lessons  with  all  the  en- 
thusiasm of  her  heart.  What  she  loved  most,  and 
took  the  greatest  pains  to  make  us  understand,  was 
the  Holy  Scriptures.  Her  prayers  were  very  fervent. 
She  always  had  a  particular  subject  for  prayer.  What- 
ever work  she  had  before  her  she  would  commence  it 
with  prayer,  asking  help  from  the  Great  Teacher. 
She  prayed  much  with  us  individually.  Her  prayers 
were  not  only  ardent,  but  mingled  with  burning  love. 
If  she  saw  a  fault  in  us  (which  often  happened) ,  she 
did  not  reprove  us  suddenly  and  with  severity,  but, 
although  very  sad  and  in  tears,  she  waited,  mean- 
while asking  help  of  her  Father  in  heaven,  then,  with 
words  gentle,  but  penetrating  and  awakening,  she 
talked  with  us  till  our  hearts  melted  like  wax ;  then, 
in  the  ardor  of  her  love,  she  knelt  with  us,  commit- 
ting us  to  the  counsel  and  guidance  of  God.  There 
was  no  heart  that  would  not  melt  before  the  fire  of 
her  love,  unless  it  were  one  entirely  overcome  by  Sa- 
tan.    .     .     .     She  spoke  much  of  acts  of  kindness  in 


594  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

visiting  tlie  sick.  Tii  this  she  greatly  resembled  her 
Master.  She  talked  much  about  propriety,  polite- 
ness, and  courtesy  to  every  one,  with  affection  for 
each  other  and  for  all.  She  spoke  much  upon  clean- 
liness and  good  order  in  the  house,  and  said  that 
these  were  outward  signs  of  Christianity  ;  also  of  dili- 
gence in  business,  that  we  should  not  be  dependent 
on  others  for  assistance,  but  on  the  might  of  our  own 
hands." 

FROM   SANTJM. 

"  What  shall  I  say  ?  How  shall  I  take  my  sorrow- 
ful pen  to  note  down  my  grief  and  anguish  for  the 
mother  whom  I  so  much  loved  !  Is  it  true,  that  one 
like  Miss  Fiske,  a  guide  adorned  with  every  kind  of 
talent,  now  sleeps  in  the  ground?  We  consider  that 
our  consolation  is  dead  ;  that  the  beautiful  staff  of  our 
support  is  broken  ;  that  the  mount  against  which  we 
leaned  is  removed  ;  that  the  chief  strong  pillar  of  our 
women  is  cast  down.  We  are  distressed  by  the  ti- 
dings of  her  death.  Our  limbs  are  broken.  We 
are  cast  down  lower  than  the  dust.  She  possessed 
fine  and  beautiful  traits,  not  found  except  in  a  few 
rare  mortals.  One  was  a  humble,  tender,  loving 
heart,  and  a  spirit  that  had  within  it  a  seat  of  love 
for  every  mortal.  She  knew  how  to  win  the  heart 
of  every  one,  —  those  of  all  ranks  and  characters,  and 
temporal  and  spiritual  conditions, — by  meekly  bow- 
ing her  noble  self  to  every  condition. 

"  Her  first  meeting  with  me  was  in  the  yard  at  Seir. 
She  quickly  drew  my  heart  to  her  by  her  love  and 
delightful  counsels.  My  heart  was  so  melted  that 
very  minute,  that  I  pulled  out  the  clove  that  was  in  my 


TESTIMONIALS.  395 

bored  nose,  and  the  silver  rings  that  were  in  my  ears, 
and  from  that  day  I  longed  to  enter  the  seminary  of 
Miss  Fiske,  until  God,  in  his  good  providence  brought 
me  to  realize  this  desire  in  1846. 

"  Although  she  had  so  heavy  a  biirdeu  upon  her,  she 
was  alive  to  everything.  Like  the  gentle  rays  of  the 
sun  that  descend  and  effect  such  great  things,  she  in 
all  quietness  used  to  accomplish  great  things.  Yet 
was  she  ever  awake  to  every  naughty  sound,  however 
low.  She  used  to  fill  us  with  amazement  many  times, 
for  almost  always  when  we  had  been  saying  naughty 
things,  or  committing  some  foult  in  school,  or  in  the 
rooms,  or  in  the  yard,  we  looked  up,  and  lo  !  she  was 
standino^  rio^ht  over  our  heads.  As  if  an  ansrel 
prompted  her,  she  reproved  us  sharply  and  deeply  so 
as  to  produce  a  great  effect  upon  us.  But  she  had 
also  this  gift,  that  she  could  win  and  heal  the  wound- 
ed heart,  and  we  loved  her  a  thousand  times  more 
than  ever.  "When  there  was  displeasure  among  us, 
she  would  say,  'My  dear  girls,  I  can  read  many  of 
your  thoughts  ;  they  are  written  on  your  faces  ;  such 
a  one  thinks  so,  and  such  a  one  so ;  '  and  she  almost 
always  understood  our  hearts. 

"  Very  often,  when  we  were  angry,  she  would  melt 
us  down  by  prayer.  One  day  she  had  reproved  me  for 
a  fault,  and  I  was  angry,  and  said,  'I'll  go  home  and 
read  no  more.'  She  counselled  me  to  remain.  I 
said,  'No;  I  will  go.'  She  said,  'Very  well;  wo 
will  pray  together,  and  afterwards,  if  you  desire,  go.' 
We  kneeled  down,  and,  before  we  had  finished  pray- 
ing, my  heart  was  completely  melted,  and  I  rose  and 
begged  her  forgiveness. 

"  What  can  I  say  of  her  trust  in  her  Saviour?  Very 


396  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

often  she  spoke  of  going  to  heaven,  and  said  she 
should  do  so  and  so  there ;  and  she  spoke  of  these 
things  with  such  relish  and  enjoyment  that  we  always 
said,  '  Blessed  is  such  confidence  ! '  Oh,  how  she 
longed  for  one  thing  which  she  has  now  attained,  — to 
be  able  to  sing.  She  sorrowed  greatly  that  she  had 
not  this  gift;  but  would  say,  'I  shall  soon  go  to 
heaven,  and  shall  sing  there.' 

"  How  can  I  help  mentioning,  farther,  some  of  the 
blessed  fruits  of  the  Spirit  in  her  life,  — the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  love,  clear  hope,  perfect  faith,  holy  zeal,  peace, 
patience  without  guile,  forbearance,  wonderful  hu- 
mility, and  the  most  perfect  propriety  in  all  her  walk, 
conversation,  and  instruction.  She  also  determined 
in  h^r  heart  that  she  would  not  allow  a  woman  to 
enter  her  door  and  depart  without  praying  with  her ; 
and,  if  she  was  lierself  very  much  hurried  with  some 
other  business,  she  committed  those  who  came  to 
some  of  us.  She  also  prayed  privately  with  every 
girl  in  school  repeatedly  every  year ;  and  every  girl 
who  wished  to  pray  with  her  always  enjoyed  that 
favor." 

FROM   DEACON   YONAN. 

"  We  considered  her  very  remarkable  for  her  learn- 
ing and  skill.  We  often  carried  to  her  passages  of 
Scripture,  and  difficult  questions  that  arose.  She 
would  explain  them,  or  decide  on  them  with  such 
modesty  and  skill  that  all  parties  would  be  satisfied. 
Sometimes  the  bishop,  Mar.  Elias,  would  say  of  her, 
*  She  is  a  real  Deborah.'  If  there  were  consultations 
to  be  held  about  the  superintendence  of  the  work  of 


TESTIMONIALS.  397 

the  Lord  in  a  given  place,  or  a  given  village,  we  re- 
lied on  her  advice ;  and,  when  we  were  in  straits,  she 
would  open  for  us  a  way,  and  did  not  err.  Some- 
times we  used  to  go  to  her  to  get  her  to  help  us  com- 
pose our  sermons,  and  she  was  very  happy  to  hel[) 
us.  One  day  she  said,  *  I  have  very  great  joy  in 
Nestoriau  preachers ;  the  sounds  and  character  of 
this  language  arc  finely  fitted  for  preaching.'  The 
Nestorian  preachers  used  to  consider  her  so  learned, 
that  they  prepared  their  sermons  with  a  great  deal 
more  thought,  care,  and  watchfulness  when  she  was 
to  be  in  the  congregation. 

"  She  was  also  very  skilful  in  the  general  manage- 
ment of  afiairs.  Often  she  conversed  with  the  priests, 
deacons,  and  chiefs  among  the  people  with  so  much 
skill,  and  she  understood  the  case  of  each  one  so 
well,  that  not  one  of  them  could  depart  from  her 
without  feeling  her  power.  The  first  word  they  would 
say,  on  leaving,  was,  'She  is  a  very  wonderful  woman.' 

"  One  day  a  preacher  ascended  the  pulpit  to  preach. 
After  singing,  and  reading  the  Scriptures,  he  looked 
steadily  in  the  face  of  the  congregation,  but,  from 
timidity,  said  not  a  word.  He  requested  a  priest 
present  to  pray,  and  another  to  pronounce  the  bene- 
diction ;  and  so  the  congregation  dispersed.  After 
a  little  while,  Miss  Fiske  sent  for  him,  and  said  to 
him,  'I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  good  sermon  ; 
it  made  a  great  impression  on  me.'  And  then  she  com- 
forted and  encouraged  him.  So,  in  all  becoming  ways, 
she  could  help  every  one  according  to  his  necessity." 

A  peculiar  value  attaches  to  the  following  testimony 
of  Miss  Eice,  who  was  for  eleven  years  Miss  Fiske 'a 


398  FAITH  WORKING   BY   LOVE. 

loved  and  efficient  associate  teacher  in  the  female  sem- 
inary at  Oroomiah :  — 

"  Her  character  stands  before  me  in  living  beauty, 
and  my  unskilful  hand  will  try  to  give  a  few  outlines 
of  the  picture. 

"Unselfishness,  benevolence,  gentleness,  prayerful- 
uess,  remarkable  executive  power,  adaptation  to  cir- 
cumstances, versatility,  excellent  judgment,  perse- 
verance, and  a  wonderful  power  of  influencing  others, 
were  some  of  the  natural  traits  of  her  character, 
which  grace  strengthened  and  beautified  with  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

"  Her  unselfishness  was  a  very  prominent  trait  in 
her  character.  Even  in  her  childhood  she  was  ready 
to  give  to  others  a  portion  better  than  her  own.  She 
carried  this  disposition  with  her  through  life.  She 
was  always  aiming  to  lighten  the  burdens  of  others, 
while  meekly  bearing  her  own.  In  the  division  of 
school  labor  she  always  insisted  on  taking  the  larger 
and  heavier  share.  Like  her  blessed  Master,  she  lived 
not  to  please  herself;  she  sought  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  others,  often  at  great  expense  of  time 
and  strength  to  herself;  but  her  sacrifices  were  free- 
will offerings,  cheerfully  laid  on  God's  altar. 

"  Miss  Fiske  gave  herself  to  her  work  with  a  de- 
votion, which,  to  a  less  benevolent  heart,  would  have 
been  impossible.  The  Master  whom  she  served  was 
pleased  to  give  her  an  early  harvest. 

"  Who  can  describe  the  pure  joy  that  filled  her 
heart,  as  one  and  another  of  these  wild  girls  became 
new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus?  She  delighted  to 
train  them  for  Christ's  High  School,  by  her  own 
lovely  example  and  priceless  instructions.     She  'al- 


TESTIMONIALS.  399 

lured  to  brighter  worlds,  and  led  the  way.'  She  was 
far  more  than  a  teacher  in  her  relations  to  our  school. 
Sbe  gave  a  mother's  love  and  care  to  our  family,  and 
uitiny  are  the  devoted  Nestorian  daughters  who  are 
ready  to  rise  up  and  call  her  their  blessed  mother. 

''  Gentle  herself,  her  constant  aim  was  to  teach  her 
pupils  to  profit  from  the  motto,  'Study  to  be  quiet.' 
Sometimes  one  of  the  older  girls  slept  in  her  room, 
and,  whatever  her  habits  may  have  been  previously, 
she  soon  learned,  under  Miss  Fiske's  training,  to 
sleep  quietly,  and  quickly  rouse  from  slumber.  In 
order  to  appreciate  this  fact,  one  should  know  that 
the  sleep  of  Orientals  is  generally  very  heavy  and 
deep,  owing  in  part,  no  doubt,  to  a  habit  of  mental 
inactivity  in  their  waking  hours. 

"  She  labored  much  to  cultivate  habits  of  industry 
and  self-denial  among  her  pupils.  In  her  they  saw  a 
living  exponent  of  the  exhortation,  '  not  slothful  in 
business,  fervent  in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord.'  She 
endeavored  most  earnestly  to  make  her  pupils  con- 
scientious. Missionaries  alone  can  understand  the 
difficulty  and  the  greatness  of  this  work.  There  are 
many  Abrahams  and  Sarahs  and  Jacobs  and  Rebeccas 
in  this  part  of  the  world,  even  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. 

"  Devotedly  attached  to  her  Alma  Mater,  she  was  so 
successful  in  making  our  school  a  miniature  Flolyoke, 
that,  in  four  years,  the  pupils  in  their  bearing  re- 
minded their  newly  arrived  teacher,  very  forcibly,  of 
the  South  Hadley  sisters,  whom  she  had  recently  left, 
as  did  their  teacher,  of  our  loved  principal  Miss 
Lyon. 

"Miss  Fiske,  as  a  teacher,  was   enthusiastic,  and 


400  FAITH   WORKING  BT  LOVE. 

thorough.  The  bright  and  the  dull  scholar  found  in 
her  a  friend,  ready  to  appreciate  their  respective 
merits.  For  want  of  text-books,  during  several  years, 
she  spent  much  time  in  giving  oral  instruction  to 
eager  listeners.  Our  Bible  lessons  have  ever  been 
the  favorite  study  in  school.  Nothing  would  gratify  a 
class  more  than  to  hear  that  Miss  Fiske  would  teach 
them  this  or  that  book  of  the  Scriptures.  Even  the 
younger  gh"ls  learned  to  prize  the  hour  in  which  the 
school  were  allowed  to  ask  Bible  questions,  particu- 
larly at  the  close  of  the  Sabbath.  Sometimes  ques- 
tions were  left  unanswered,  and  it  was  pleasant  to 
notice  how  carefully  the  Holy  Word  was  searched  to 
find  the  reply.  Miss  Fiske  often  trenched  on  her 
hours  of  sleep  to  prepare  her  Bible  questions,  and 
her  pupils  considered  it  a  privilege  to  copy  them  for 
future  use.  But  the  amount  of  practical  instruction 
imparted  during  their  recitations  was  beyond  their 
ability  to  write,  and  were  treasures  for  memory's 
storehouse. 

"  The  records  of  the  last  day  alone  can  disclose  the 
incalculable  value  of  the  study  of  God's  Word,  as 
Miss  Fiske  taught  it  and  lived  it.  She  aimed  to  have 
our  pupils  regard  it  as  the  rule  of  duty.  'To  the  law 
and  to  the  testimony,'  they  must  go  to  decide  the 
question  of  right  and  wrong.  Not  a  few  of  them 
could  see  that  the  principles  of  government  in  our 
family  were  drawn  from  Holy  Writ.  Still,  Miss  Fiske, 
in  their  eyes,  was  not  Moses,  the  lawgiver,  but  a  re- 
flection of  the  glory  of  Him,  whose  love  filled  her 
heart  and  shone  in  her  every-day  life.  She  lived 
nearer  Calvary  than  Sinai.  The  suffering  Saviour 
was  the  magnet  of  her  soul. 


TESTIMONIALS.  401 

**Her  prayerfulness  was  remarkable.  Her  com- 
munings  with  her  Father  iu  heaven  were  so  frequent, 
that  she  ever  lived  in  the  light  of  his  countenance. 
As  one  of  her  pupils  remarked,  she  always  said, 
'  When  I  reach  heaven  ; '  not  *  ?/  I  reach  heaven.' 

"  Who  can  estimate  the  untold  blessings  that  have 
descended  on  our  school,  — on  our  whole  field,  —  in 
answer  to  her  intercessions  ?  She  labored,  and  prayed, 
and  hoped  for  the  conversion  of  our  whole  family ; 
she  wrestled  with  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  and 
often  did  she  prevail.  Never  can  we  forget  the 
earnestness  with  which  she  often  entreated  that  no 
soul,  who  had  dwelt  on  the  heights  of  our  Zion,  should 
sink  into  the  regions  of  despair. 

"  In  matters  small  as  well  as  great  she  was  accus- 
tomed to  consult  the  '  Beloved  of  her  soul.'  If  she 
was  tried  or  perplexed,  she  carried  the  case  to  God, 
and  listened  to  hear  what  God,  the  Lord,  should 
speak.  If  things  went  wrong  iu  school,  if  her  dis- 
cerning eye  saw  tokens  of  concealed  wickedness,  she 
sought  help  from  above ;  and  wonderful  were  the 
answers  to  her  prayers. 

"  Miss  Fiske  was  no  ascetic.  She  greatly  enjoyed 
social  intercourse,  and  no  one,  more  than  she,  prized  a 
home  in  a  missionary  ftimily.  She  was  a  true  sister 
there,  entering  most  heartily  into  all  their  joys  and 
sorrows,  often  applying  her  skilful  hand  to  the  do- 
mestic routine,  to  lighten  the  burden  of  a  weary  or 
feeble  missionary  sister.  No  one,  so  easily  as  she, 
could  make  the  necessary  preparations  for  a  mission- 
ary tour,  or  a  long  journey,  and  no  one  could  make  a 
more  attractive  retreat  for  guests.  She  was  a  true 
Aunt  Fidelia^  to  all  the  missionary  children.  It 
26 


402  FAITH   WORKING  BY  LOVB. 

was  a  treat  to  her  to  leave  school-cares  for  a  little 
while,  and  have  a  play  with  the  younger  children. 
She  had  particular  skill  in  soothing  the  little  ones,  as 
well  as  in  interesting  the  older  ones,  and,  in  times  of 
sickness,  they  clung  to  her  as  to  their  own  mothers. 
She  would  carry  them  very  gently  in  her  arms  back 
and  forth,  walking  backwards  herself,  one  length  of 
the  room,  to  save  the  child  the  unpleasant  motion  of 
turning.  She  was  an  unspeakable  comfort  in  the 
sickness  of  little  children,  as  many  mothers  can  tes- 
tify. 

"Nowhere  has  Miss  Fiske  left  a  more  tenderly 
grateful  remembrance  than  in  the  sick-room.  Deeply 
devoted  as  she  was  to  her  school,  — reluctantly  with- 
drawing from  it,  for  a  few  hours  only ;  yet  there  was 
one  call  that  met  a  quick  response  from  her  sympa- 
thizing heart.  When  any  missionary  family  was  suf- 
fering from  sickness  they  were  sure  to  welcome  this 
angel  of  mercy. 

"  Ophthalmia  is  a  prevalent  disease  during  the  sum- 
mer in  Persia.  Seldom  does  a  year  pass,  in  which 
some  members  of  our  missionary  circle,  especially  the 
children,  do  not  suffer  from  it.  Miss  Fiske's  benevo- 
lence exerted  itself  in  unwearied  care  kl  such  times. 
She  never  hesitated  to  confine  herself  to  the  darkened 
room,  to  bathe  the  inflamed,  painful  eyes;  and  when 
it  was  necessary  to  apply  leeches,  she  was  the  one  to 
do  it  successfully. 

"Miss  Fiske  was  capable  of  exerting  a  wonderful 
influence  over  others.  No  doubt  this  was  greatly 
owing  to  that  love  that  permeated  her  whole  being. 
When  it  was  necessary  to  administer  reproof,  her 
words  were  *  sharp  arrows  of  the  mighty,  with  coals 


TESTIMONIALS.  403 

of  juuiper.'  But  there  was  no  room  for  resentmeut  in 
the  heart  of  the  reproved,  for  the  kind  acts  that  fol- 
lowed, proved  so  strongly  that  she  desired  nothhig 
but  the  real  benefit  of  all,  that  they  were  received  as 
the  'dew  of  Hermon,  and  as  the  dew  that  descended 
upon  the  mountains  of  Zion  ;  for  there  the  Lord  com- 
manded the  blessing.' 

"  In  all  the  busy  weeks  and  months  of  preparation 
for  our  school,  Miss  Fiske  daily  and  earnestly  prayed 
for  a  blessing,  a  spiritual  blessing,  to  descend  on  the 
work  of  our  hands.  She  was  rearing  a  temple,  in 
which,  she  entreated,  that  'the  glory  that  excelleth' 
should  dwell.  Hence,  her  listening  ear  was  ready  to 
catch  the  first  sound  of  '  the  going  in  the  tops  of  the 
mulberry  trees,'  and  quickly  did  she  gird  herself  for 
the  work  of  laboring  for  awakened  souls.  Her  love 
and  anxiety  for  perishing  souls  were  intense. 

"Her  zeal  for  the  improvement  of  her  sex  knew  no 
bounds ;  it  was  a  ruling  passion  with  her.  No  ob- 
stacles were  considered  insuperable  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  Avork  so  near  her  heart. 

"  She  was  our  '  beloved  Persis,'  who  '  labored  much 
in  the  Lord ; '  in  charity,  our  Dorcas ;  in  counsel 
and  action,  our  Deborah  ;  in  praying,  our  weeping 
Hannah,  our  Phebe  '  the  succorer  of  many,'  and 
now,  our  sainted  sister,  'Fidelia  the  Faithful.' 
Gentle,  unassuming,  afiectionate,  confiding,  sympa- 
thizing, considerate,  and  self-sacrificing,  she  possessed 
a  truly  feminine  character,  though  she  was  capable 
of  putting  forth  masculine,  masterly  efforts. 

"  Is  any  one  ready  to  ask,  '  \yas  her  character  so 
beautifully  rounded  that  no  sharp  corner  was  visible?' 
Her  most  intimate  companion  can  recall  only  one,  and 


404  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

that  was  her  extreme  unwillingness  to  subject  any  one 
to  inconvenience  on  her  account.  She  delighted  to 
spend  and  to  be  spent  for  others ;  but  it  was  very 
painful  for  her  to  receive  like  favors  in  return.  She 
had  a  very  elastic  constitution  ;  hence  her  remarkable 
power  of  endurance;  but  she  was  not  strong,  and 
rarely  did  a  day  pass  without  physical  suffering.  She 
was  particularly  averse  to  hearing  inquiries  for  her 
health.  She  would  allow  the  girls  (who  counted  it  a 
o-reat  privilege)  to  give  her  feet  a  warm  bath,  when 
she  was  suffering  from  a  neuralgic  headache,  or  was 
overcome  with  fatigue ;  but  she  invariably  declined 
the  attention  of  watchers,  assuring  us  that  she  should 
need  no  care,  and  would  probably  'be  a  great  deal 
better  in  the  morning.'  Lovely  as  she  ever  was  in 
health,  she  was  more  sweetly  so  in  illness. 

"  Precious  sister  !  We  joy  for  her  in  her  abundant 
entrance  into  the  everlasting  kingdom. 

"  Then  farewell,  pure  spirit !  and  oh,  that  on  all 
Thy  mantle  of  love  and  devotion  might  fall! 
Like  thee  may  we  toil,  that  with  thee  we  may  rest, 
With  our  Saviour  above,  in  the  home  of  the  blest." 

The  following  graceful  tribute  is  from  the  pen  of 
Rev.  S.  A.  Rhea,  of  the  Nestorian  Mission  :  — 

"A  very  partial  acquaintance  with  our  departed 
friend  would  convince  any  one  that  there  were  com- 
binations in  her  character  rendering  her  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  of  Christian  women. 

"  While  she  was  distinguished  for  the  solidity  of 
her  judgment,  the  soberness  and  maturity  of  her 
opinions,  she  was  also  gifted  with  a  poetic  tempera- 
ment. Her  imagination  was  rich,  and  she  had  great 
depth  and  sensitiveness  of  feeling.     How  could  she 


TESTIMONIALS.  405 

have  written  with  such  fascination,  with  such  graphic 
power,  had  she  not  felt  so  deeply?  How  her  strong 
feeling,  her  vivid  imagination,  found  at  once  the  most 
fluent,  rich,  and  expressive  utterance !  How  re- 
markable, too,  was  her  executive  ability  I  She  would 
undertake  the  most  extensive  repairs,  in  person  su- 
perintending the  masons  and  workmen ;  she  would 
plan  and  prepare  for  a  long  journey ;  she  would  lay 
in  the  stores  requisite  for  a  family  of  forty  ;  she  would 
do  such  things  most  noiselessly  and  thoroughly  ;  and 
yet,  when  was  there  ever  a  human  heart  strung  with 
more  delicate  sensibilities?  Who  could  touch  like 
her  a  wounded  spirit?  Who  could  more  feelingly 
enter  into  your  grief?  Who  could  minister  more 
softly  and  wisely  at  the  couch  of  the  suffering?  Who 
like  her  could  put  on  the  last  touches  to  the  dress  of 
the  little  babe  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus?  Her  mascu- 
line executive  power,  and  her  feminine  delicacy,  were 
a  rare  combination.  She  did  not  seem  to  lean  strongly 
on  any  human  arm ;  but  she  had  found  a  companion 
for  her  lone  spirit,  — an  arm  into  which  she  entwined 
her  own, — a  bosom  on  which,  in  childlike  foith,  she 
rested  her  head ;  and  this  was  the  secret  of  her  for- 
titude and  self-sacrifice,  of  her  exquisite  tenderness 
and  delicacy  of  feeling. 

"  She  was  a  school-mistress,  absorbed  in  lessons, 
rules,  discipline, — a  routine,  perhaps,  calculated  to 
make  the  nature  cold,  one-sided,  and  angular ;  and  yet 
how  fresh  she  kept  her  social  sympathies  I  With  what 
heartiness  she  would  welcome  you  to  her  home  1  Who 
would  imaffine  that  on  her  rested  much  of  the.  care  of 
forty  Oriental  pupils?  She  seemed  to  have,  at  the 
time,  no  other  thought  than  for  the  happiness  of  her 


406  FAITH   WORKING   BT   LOVE. 

guests.      There   was    magnetic    power    about   het. 
Where  did  it  lie?     In  the  centre  of  her  heart  was  a 
pure,  unselfish  love,  and  it  flashed  out  over  her  face  ; 
it  tuned  her  voice  ;  it  beamed  in  her  eyes ;  yea,  it  ran 
through  her  fingers,  as  she  would  lay  her  hand  on  the 
head  of  the   little  trembling  girl  who  entered  the 
school  for  the  first  time,  perfectly  assuring  her.     She 
had  a  wonderful  power  over  native  men,  as  well  as 
women,  and  the  more  refined  and  intelligent  they 
were,  the  more  gracefully  they  bowed  to  her  sway. 
Who  of  us  has  not  been  struck  with  the  reverential 
manner  with  which  Deacon  Isaac  always  treated  her? 
It  was  not  love  alone  that  gave  her  magnetic  power ; 
but  with  it,  strong  sense,  tact,  discretion  to  say  just 
the  right  word  to  a  given  individual,  and  at  the  right 
time.     She  was  gifted  with  a  rare  knowledge  of  the 
human  heart.     She  had  herself  a  human  heart,  and 
her   knowledge    of   our   nature   was   intuitive.     She 
touched  its  springs  like  a  magician.     She  was  master 
of  it.     With  such  a  finely-balanced  mind,  such  depth 
and  delicacy  of  sensibility,  such  love,  such  intuitive 
knowledge,  and  such  discretion,  any  one  could  pre- 
dict her  power.     You  could  foreshadow  to  your  own 
mind  her  life-work,  and  its  fruits,  as  a  simple  neces- 
sity for  such  a  spirit.    She  would  have  been  anywhere 
a  mighty  power  for  good.     Circumstances  were  at 
her  bidding;    she  was    never  their  creature.       May 
her   beautiful  mantle  rest  on   multitudes  of  Persian 
women  !     May  her  angel  spirit  ever  li.:iger  about  us, 
and  her  sanctified  memory  hallow  our  toil ! " 

After  the  intelligence  of  Miss  Fiske's  death  reached 
Oroomiah,  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins  preached  a  funeral  ser- 


TESTIMONIALS  407 

mon  from  Prov.  xxxi.  29,  from  which  the  following 
passages  are  selected  :  — 

"Our  departed  sister  was  eminently  social.  No 
one,  male  or  female,  was  ever  connected  with  our 
mission,  who  has  contributed  more  to  the  intimate 
brotherly  and  sisterly  relations  and  intercourse  of  its 
members ;  who  delighted  more  to  have  them  often  at 
her  hospitable  table,  always  spread  with  the  nicest 
taste  of  a  skilful  house-keeper ;  or  more  enjoyed  ming- 
ling freely  in  all  the  families  of  the  mission.  The  at- 
mosphere of  love,  redolent  with  kindness,  which  she 
thus  diffused  through  our  circle,  and  which  has  been 
well  defined  as  being  to  the  missionary  work  what 
oil  is  to  machinery,  can  only  be  fully  known  and  ap- 
preciated in  its  absence. 

"  Her  sympathy  with  the  sick  and  the  afflicted  in 
our  circle  was  a  living  fountain,  at  once  deep  and 
overflowing,  and,  as  is  wont  to  be  the  case  with  a 
heart  so  sympathetic  and  benignant  as  hers,  she  pos- 
sessed the  rarest  qualities  of  a  skilful  nurse. 

"  Among  the  many  proofs  of  her  intellectual  supe- 
riority, of  which  we  are  personally  cognizant,  I  may 
mention  the  following  :  — 

"  Her  ability  and  skill  in  the  acquisition  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Nestorians.  Few  members  of  our  mis- 
sion ever  mastered  it  more  readily,  or  used  it  more 
effectively. 

"The  general  success  with  which  she  met  the  lot  and 
filled  the  sphere  of  an  unmarried  lady  in  the  mission- 
ary service, — a  lot  always  fraught  with  peculiar  diffi- 
culties, which  may  wellbe  said,  as  a  rule,  to  try  women's 
souls.  That  Miss  Fiske  should  take  the  high  stand 
she  did  here  at  the  outset,  in  that  difficult  position, 


408  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

and  hold  on  for  fifteen  years  in  the  field,  never,  to  my 
knowledge,  committing  an  indiscretion,  disconcerted 
by  no  embarrassment,  and  seriously  depressed  by  no 
trial  or  discouragement,  proves  her  to  have  possessed 
an  intellect  alike  strousr  and  well  balanced. 

"Her  good  judgment,  and  great  practical  and  exec- 
utive skill  and  tact  in  manasrinor  all  the  affairs  of  her 
school,  whether  pertaining  to  its  financial  and  other 
business  concerns,  or  to  its  internal  regulation,  were 
quite  remarkable. 

"  Her  judgment  on  general  missionary  subjects  also 
was  so  accurate  that  members  of  the  mission  were 
accustomed  to  consult  her  in  regard  to  them,  and 
often  with  orreat  advantasre. 

"Her  discernment  of  character,  discriminating  and 
almost  intuitive,  I  have  very  seldom  known  sur- 
passed. It  was  perfectly  natural  that  the  Secre- 
taries of  our  Board,  after  her  retm-n  to  America, 
should  give  her  almost  plenipotentiary  power  in  the 
selection  of  teachers  for  other  fields  as  well  as  the 
one  in  which  she  had  labored. 

"  I  have  mentioned  her  executive  tact ;  but  the  terms 
fail  to  express  a  certain  something  which  she  so  largely 
possessed,  enabling  her  to  accomplish  with  compara- 
tive ease  what  would  be  quite  impracticable,  or  very 
diflicult,  to  others.  Her  ceaseless  industry  and  tire- 
less energy  do  not  explain  it.  There  was  the  quick 
comprehension,  and  the  ready,  plastic  hand,  which 
hardly  ever  made  a  failure,  or  put  forth  an  inefiicient 
exertion.  Every  stroke  and  every  touch  from  her 
always  told  in  every  undertaking.  Her  manner  was 
so  elastic  and  facile  that  her  labors  and  instructions 
seemed  to  cost  her  little  or  no  effort.     There  was  not 


TESTIMONIALS.  409 

the  slightest  air  of  bluster  uor  of  preteusion  about 
her.  On  the  contrary,  her  movements  were  so  quiet 
and  unostentatious  as  to  be  hardly  observed,  except 
by  their  marvellous  results.  We  should  be  inclined 
to  denominate  that  '  something,' ^emws;  but  it  was 
unaccompanied,  in  her,  by  the  least  particle  of  that 
eccentricity  (not  to  say  folly),  which  reputed  genius 
so  generally  betrays  and,  perhaps,  emulates. 

*'  The  great  influence  which  she  early  acquired  over 
masses  of  the  Nestorians,  with  whom  she  became  ac- 
quainted, is  further  proof  of  her  intellectual  superi- 
ority. Long  before  her  return  to  America  they  had 
been  in  the  habit  of  going  to  her  for  counsel, — at  first 
the  friends  and  relatives  of  her  pupils ;  afterwards, 
multitudes  more,  of  men  as  well  as  women,  in  all 
their  difficulties  of  whatever  kind,  —  about  as  much  as 
to  any  male  member  of  the  mission.  As  a  rule,  she 
discouraged  such  applications  for  advice  from  the 
men,  but  she  could  not  prevent  them. 

"A  few  weeks  before  her  departure  from  the  field, 
Mar.  Yohannan,  who  had  known  and  revered  the 
founder  of  Mount  Holyoke  Seminary,  said  to  me : 
*  There  is  no  one  like  her  in  America.  She  is  equal 
to  four  of  Miss  Lyon,  who  was  the  greatest  woman 
there.  She  has  forty  eyes,  and  knows  everything 
about  her.'  Bating  the  Oriental  extravagance  of  the 
terms  of  this  eulogium,  we  readily  perceive  in  it  the 
very  high  estimate  which  a  shrewd  native  judge 
formed  of  her  ability;  and  few  Nestorians,  who  knew 
her  as  well,  would  not  accord  to  her  as  high  a  com- 
mendation. 

"  Her  piety  was  eminently  active  and  practical.  She 
had  no  faith  in  dreams  of  joys  springing  from  Christian 


410  FAITH  WORKING  BY  LOVE. 

hopes  which  do  not  prompt  to  earnest  effort  to  obey 
Christ,  and  glorify  hitn  in  unwearying  toils  to  gain 
gems  for  his  crown. 

"  Her  piety  was  eminently  self-sacrificing  as  well 
as  active.  Its  emblems  might  well  be  given  as  the 
*  Cross  and  the  Crown,'  aptly  indicated  in  the  favorite 
hymn  which  she  so  often  desired  to  be  sung :  — 

" '  Most  Jesus  bear  the  cross  alone,'  etc. 

"Her  piety,  though  it  did  not,  of  course,  create 
her  superior  womanly  qualities  and  intellectual  powers, 
did  doubtless  expand,  hallow,  and  beautify  them  all, 
crowning  her  remarkable  character  with  that  singular 
completeness  and  symmetry  which  left  so  little  want- 
ing, as  viewed  from  a  human  standpoint,  to  render 
her  one  of  the  most  perfect,  or,  we  would  rather  say, 
least  imperfect,  of  mortals. 

"  Sunny  and  hopeful  in  her  temperament  by  nature, 
our  sister  was  yet  more  so  by  grace,  and  she  was  a  very 
happy  Christian ;  not  rapturous,  but  calmly  and  se- 
renely joyful  in  the  Lord. 

"  It  was  a  principle  with  her  never  to  shrink  from 
duty,  however  self-denying,  in  small  things  as  well 
as  great.  And  duty,  as  duty,  almost  ceased  to  be 
self-denying ^  for  she  served  her  Redeemer,  not  as  a 
slave,  but  in  delightful  obedience  ;  the  love  of  Christ 
constraining  her. 

"  Another  point  worthy  of  notice  in  her  labors  was 
her  yearning  solicitude  and  earnest  prayer  for  her 
school,  especially  during  seasons  of  refreshing  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Always  faithful,  it  might 
be  said  of  her  at  such  times,  emphatically,  that  she 
'  watched  for  souls,'  as  one  that  must  give  an  account. 


TESTIMONIALS.  "411 

There  was  no  disposition  on  her  part  to  shift  respon- 
sibility. Always  grateful  for  help,  she  still  felt  that 
on  her,  first  and  chiefly,  rested  the  burden  of  her 
dear  pupils,  and  that  burden  often  well-nigh  crushed 
her,  till  she  could  roll  it  off  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  in 
agonizing  prayer  and  earnest  labors,  which  God  is 
wont  to  honor  as  his  chosen  instrumentalities  for  lead- 
ing lost  ones  into  his  fold. 

"  Another  point  in  Miss  Fiske's  labors  in  her  school, 
which  is  worthy  of  remark,  was  her  intense  concen- 
tration of  interest  upon  individual  pupils,  especially 
the  sick.  How  have  we  seen  her  hansr  over  the  sick 
ones,  when  apparently  going  down  to  the  grave,  with 
a  constancy  and  tenderness  in  nursing  them,  hardly 
surpassed  by  the  bleeding  heart  of  any  mother  over 
her  own  suffering  child,  unconscious  of  weariness 
until  she  saw  that  the  crisis  had  passed,  when  she 
would  often  find  herself,  for  the  time,  entirely  pros- 
trated ! " 

Brief  extracts  from  Dr.  Kirk's  remarks,  at  the 
funeral  of  Miss  Fiske,  as  reported  by  one  present, 
will  indicate  his  high  estimate  of  her  character :  — 

"I  wish  to  speak  carefully ;  but  I  am  sure  I  can 
say  I  never  saw  one  who  came  nearer  to  Jesus  in  self- 
sacrifice.  If  ever  there  should  be  an  extension  of  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews,  I  think  the  name  of 
Fidelia  Fiske  would  stand  there.  That  is  a  list  of 
those  who  either  had  remarkable  faith,  or  who  suf- 
fered for  the  truth.  She  was  a  martyr.  She  had 
made  the  greatest  sacrifice.  8he  had  given  up  her 
will;  and  when  you  have  done  that,  the  rest  is  easy. 
To  burn  at  the  stake  for  a  while,  to  be  torn  on  the 


412  FAITH   WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

rack,  to  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts,  is  as  nothing 
when  you  have  torn  out  your  own  will,  and  laid  it 
upon  God's  altar. 

"And  so  God  sent  her  to  benighted  Persia,  that 
those  poor  people  might  have  there  an  image  of  Jesus, 
and  learn  what  he  was  like,  not  by  cold  theories, 
but  by  a  living  example.  He  brought  her  back  to  us, 
that  we  might  see  what  sanctified  human  nature  can 
become,  and  might  gain  a  new  view  of  the  power  of 
his  grace. 

"  She  loved  the  Bible,  and  carefullj'^  studied  it  day 
by  day  ;  not  that  she  might  talk  about  it,  or  theorize 
from  it,  or  teach  it  to  others,  but  as  an  expression  of 
her  Father's  will.  Hence  her  wonderful  power  in 
teaching  it.  She  carried  those  Nestoriau  women 
through  the  whole,  from  Genesis  to  Revelation,  and 
made  every  lesson  glow  with  a  living  light !  As  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  willingly  would  I  have  sat  at 
her  feet  to  learn  her  way  of  teaching  that  blessed 
book.  I  asked  her  to  tell  me  her  method ;  but  her 
modesty  prevented.  I  thank  God  that  he  has  raised 
up  some  one  to  show  us  how  the  Bible  can  be  read, 
and  taught,  and  lived. 

*^  Her  love  was  Christlike.  It  went  forth  to  every 
one.  She  never  asked  if  others  loved  her ;  never 
thought  whether  the  thing  to  be  done  was  for  her 
own  ease  or  not.  Her  own  comfort  never  seemed  to 
come  up  in  her  thoughts,  but  only  what  would  please 
her  heavenly  Father.  That  love  made  her  so  beloved 
at  South  Hadley ;  that  love  took  her  to  Persia.  O 
sisters,  do  you  know  of  Fidelia  Fiske's  toils,  her  pri- 
vations? and  have  you  read  of  what  her  sex  there 
have  become  ?  of  those  lovely,  self-denying  Christians  ? 


TESTIMONIALS.  413 

"  I  wish  to  speak  of  what  she  has  done  for  South 
Hadley.  When  Mary  Lyon  gave  up  Miss  Fiske  to 
the  missionary  work,  it  was  a  great  trial  to  her ;  but 
she  did  not  hesitate.  She  gave  of  her  best,  though 
the  beloved  seminary  seemed  so  to  need  this  '  beauti- 
ful staff,'  and  Miss  Lyon,  in  time,  went  to  her  reward. 
The  tendency  of  everything  earthly  is  to  gravitate, 
and  this  is  true  even  of  a  religious  school.  That 
seminary  had  experienced  this  downward  tendency, 
and  had  not  altogether  resisted  it,  when,  from  her 
Eastern  home,  trained  to  that  wonderful  perfection 
(which  is  a  part  of  the  'hundred-fold  more'  of  the 
missionary  reward) ,  Fidelia  Fiske  came  back,  and, 
under  God,  restored  the  institution,  brin^ins:  to  it 
such  a  remarkable  blessing,  that  this  year,  out  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-four  scholars,  only  nineteen  left  it 
unconverted.  The  teachers  will  all  say,  and  my  fel- 
low-trustees will  agree  with  me  in  saying,  that  Miss 
Fiske  would  not  have  lived  in  vain,  had  her  life-work 
been  confined  to  what  she  has  accomplished  at  Mount 
Holyoke." 

The  compiler  of  "  Woman  and  her  Saviour  in  Per- 
sia," Rev.  T.  Laurie,  D.  D.,  speaks,  in  the  following 
letter,  from  an  intimate  personal  acquaintance  with 
Miss  Fiske  :  — 

"You  ask  for  my  impressions  of  Miss  Fiske.  It  is 
pleasant  to  recall  them,  for  there  is  not  an  unpleasant 
one  among  them  all.  The  chief  impression  left  on 
my  mind  is  one  of  most  attractive  loveliness.  I  do 
not  mean  beauty  of  person,  for  in  this  respect  she  was 
not  gifted  above  many  of  her  sex,  and,  when  in  repose, 
her  features  seemed  to  betray  a  sense  of  pain,  as  if 


414  FAITH  WORKING   BY  LOVE. 

mental  activity  was  needed  to  make  her  forget  bodily 
distresa.  Nor  was  it  that  which  we  call  fascination, 
depending  on  a  rare  combination  of  natural  graces 
well  cultivated,  and  used  with  consummate  art;  but, 
if  I  might  use  an  old  term  that  expresses  the  idea  ex- 
actly, 'It  was  lovingness;  not  a  mere  fondness,  but  a 
holy  love,  guided  by  an  unusually  quick  Christian  in- 
telligence.' She  ever  radiated  happiness  on  all  about 
her.  The  sight  of  her  made  us  all  glad,  from  the  lit- 
tle child  to  the  oldest  one  in  the  family.  While  she 
stayed,  our  joy  in  her  was  unmingled,  and,  after  she 
had  gone,  memory  found  no  occasion  for  criticism. 

"Nor  was  this  a  higher  state  into  which  she  rose  now 
and  then  from  a  lower  level.  It  was  the  steady  out- 
flow of  her  daily  life  ;  rather  it  was  the  outgrowth  of 
Christ  in  her;  for  he  abode  in  her  and  she  in  him. 
In  her  presence,  Christ  seemed  not  far  off,  and  after- 
wards you  felt  like  saying  with  some  of  old,  *  Did  not 
our  hearts  burn  within  us? '  Yet,  with  all  this,  there 
was  not  the  least  affectation  of  superior  goodness  ;  no 
talk  about  eminent  holiness,  as  though  others  did  not 
know  so  much  about  it ;  but  it  was  as  if  Christ's  own 
love  flamed  from  him  through  a  human  heart,  that  we 
might  admire  its  beauty,  and  praise  the  Lord.  It  was 
a  calm  love,  not  calling  attention  to  itself;  but,  like  a 
fountain,  ever  flowing  quietly  out  of  and  beyond  it- 
self. It  was  an  eminently  intelligent  love,  acting 
always  in  the  right  way,  and  with  a  discreetness  and 
beautiful  propriety,  that  suggested  the  guidance  of  a 
higher  power.  It  was  a  uniform  love,  like  the  light 
that  noiselessly  supplies  life  to  the  flower  and  the  tiny 
moss,  to  the  tree  that  shelters  both,  and  to  the  birds 
which  sing  among  the  branches. 


TESTIMONIALS.  415 

"  Wheu  first  brought  to  Christ,  she  was  led  to  sym- 
pathize with  his  love  to  the  whole  world  ;  and,  in  her 
after  life,  that  sympathy  was  very  practical.  It  was 
as  if  the  fulness  of  love  to  all  was  poured  on  each 
object  of  it  within  her  reach. 

"  Her  fellowship  with  Christ  was  such  as  made  him 
not  only  almost  sensibly  present  to  herself,  but  also 
to  those  who  recognized  Christ  in  her. 

"  She  was  one  of  the  very  few,  to  whose  leading 
you  could  commit  yourself  without  fear  of  being  led 
in  any  other  direction  than  toward  Christ  and  con- 
formity to  his  will. 

"  I  hardly  expect  to  meet  with  another  Miss  Fiske 
on  earth,  but  it  seems  as  though  my  intercourse  with 
her  here  gave  me  some  delightful  anticipations  of  the 
fellowship  of  the  redeemed  above." 

We  close  these  testimonials  with  a  letter  from  Rev. 
R.  Anderson,  D.  D.,  the  venerable  Secretary  of  the 
American  Board,  whose  dispassionate  judgment  and 
well-known  accurate  estimate  of  character  give  great 
weight  to  his  words  :  — 

"  Miss  Fidelia  Fiske,  so  long  a  beloved  member  of 
our  mission  to  the  Nestorians,  was  a  very  remarkable 
woman.  Yet  this  was  not  owing  to  the  predominance 
of  any  one  quality,  but  rather  to  a  combination  of 
qualities,  intellectual  and  emotional,  surpassing  any- 
thing I  had  ever  seen  in  any  other  per.  :,  I  remera 
ber  enough  of  her  uncle  Pliny  Fiske,  one  of  the  two 
pioneers  in  the  Palestine  mission,  to  believe  that  his 
strong  hold  on  the  popular  interest  was  owing  to  a 
similar  cause.  Her  emotional  nature  was  wonder- 
fully sanctified ;  and  all  her  powers  being  well  devel- 


416  TAITH  WORKING  BY   LOVE. 

oped,  and  all  nicely  adjusted  one  to  another,  the 
whole  worked  with  regularity  and  ease.  Hence  that 
singular  accuracy  of  judgment,  that  never  failing 
sense  of  propriety,  and  that  easy  flow  of  appropriate 
thought,  for  which  she  was  distinguished.  Hence 
the  apparent  absence  of  fatigue  in  her  protracted  con- 
versations and  conversational  addresses,  which  was 
matter  of  surprise  to  those  who  looked  only  upon  her 
delicate  frame.  Hence  the  habitual  control  of  her 
sanctified  affections  over  her  intellectual  powers,  and 
her  unfailing  self-possession,  so  that  she  seemed  ever 
ready  at  the  moment  for  the  call  of  duty,  especially 
when  it  was  to  meet  the  claims  of  perishing  souls 
around  her.  In  the  structure  and  working  of  her 
whole  nature,  she  seemed  to  me  the  nearest  approach 
I  ever  saw,  in  man  or  woman,  to  my  ideal  of  our 
blessed  Saviour,  as  he  appeared  in  his  walks  on  earth. 
"  Her  usefulness  was  as  extraordinary  as  her  char- 
acter. For  her  'to  live,  was  Christ.'  It  was  as  nat- 
ural for  her  to  speak  of  him,  and  for  him,  as  it  was 
to  breathe,  and  her  pious  discourse  seemed  never  out 
of  place,  as  thousands  in  this  country  could  testify. 
Her  influence  on  the  Nestorian  character,  especially 
upon  that  of  the  Nestorian  women,  is  well  set  forth  in 
the  book,  entitled  '  Woman  and  her  Saviour  in  Per- 
sia ; '  and,  I  do"ht  not,  it  would  be  the  judgment  of 
the  mission,  that  few  of  their  number  exerted  so  great 
a  formative  influence  on  the  Nestorian  mind,  as  did 
this  departed  sister.  I  should  certainly  find  it  hard 
to  name  one,  among  the  thousand  and  more  who  have 
gone  forth  into  the  missions  of  the  Board  during  my 
official  life,  who  hafi  a  brighter  record  of  missionary 
service." 


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